Statesville, NC – Shawn Snook of Statesville received an early birthday surprise after winning a $4 million Mega Millions prize from the December 17 drawing.
“That was a nice early birthday present,” Snook said with a laugh.
He purchased his $3 ticket through Online Play and matched all five white balls, earning a $1 million prize. His winnings multiplied to $4 million when the 4X Megaplier was drawn. The odds of winning this prize are 1 in 12.6 million.
“I just picked some random numbers,” Snook recalled. “I woke up the next day and there you go. I couldn’t believe it.”
The timing of his win aligns perfectly with his family’s plans.
“We just started building a house, so this really comes at a great time for us,” Snook said.
He claimed his prize at lottery headquarters on Monday and, after federal and state tax withholdings, took home $2,870,001.
“I’ve told multiple people that I’m going to hit a big one one day,” Snook said. “I just had a feeling.”
The Mega Millions jackpot for Tuesday’s drawing stands at $44 million as an annuity or $19.5 million in cash. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 302 million.
