Man’s lifelong love for number 7 helps him win $1 million lottery jackpot in US

A man from North Carolina in the United States has won a jackpot worth $1 million, or roughly ₹9.5 crore, on a scratch-off lottery ticket, in a win he credits entirely to his lifelong connection with the number seven, according to a report by the North Carolina Education Lottery.

Tomas Munoz, a resident of Biscoe in Montgomery County, has become the first person to claim the $1 million top prize in the newly launched Triple Red 777 Jackpot game run by the North Carolina Education Lottery. According to the report, Munoz came across the $10 Triple Red 777 Jackpot ticket at Candor V Mart on South Main Street in Candor, and said he felt an immediate pull to buy it the moment he saw it.

Spotted The Ticket And Instantly Knew He Had To Buy It

The reason behind that instinct, he explained, was deeply personal and tied to a number that has followed him his entire life. “Seven is my number,” Munoz was quoted as saying, adding that he was born on the seventh day of a year ending in ’77. The coincidence did not end there — the ticket itself was themed entirely around triple sevens, something Munoz described as feeling almost like it was meant to be.

According to the report, Munoz did not wait to get home before checking his fortune — he scratched the ticket right there inside the store. The moment he realised he had won, the emotions hit him immediately. “I felt emotions all over my body,” he recalled, describing the overwhelming rush that came with the realisation of his win.

When Munoz visited the lottery’s headquarters on Monday to claim his prize, he was presented with two payout options, the report said. He could either opt for an annuity structure, receiving $50,000 annually over a period of 20 years, or take a reduced lump sum payment of $600,000 upfront. Mr Munoz chose the lump sum option, and after the mandatory tax deductions were applied, he walked away with a take-home amount of $396,060.

“Seven Is My Number”: Winner Explains His Lucky Connection

Speaking about his plans for the winnings, Munoz said, as per the report, that he intends to invest a portion of the money while also continuing to fund his passion for restoring classic cars, a hobby that appears to hold personal significance for him alongside his fondness for the number seven.

The Triple Red 777 Jackpot game itself is a fairly recent addition to the North Carolina Education Lottery’s line-up, having launched earlier this month with a total of three top prizes worth $1 million each built into the game. With Munoz’s win, one of those three prizes has now been claimed, the report noted, leaving two more $1 million prizes still waiting to be won by other ticket holders.

Beyond individual winners like Munoz, the report also highlighted the broader impact of lottery revenue in the region. Montgomery County, where Munoz resides, has reportedly received grants totalling more than $2.6 million, funded through lottery proceeds, to support local school construction projects — underlining how such lottery games in the US often double up as a funding mechanism for public infrastructure and education initiatives.

Stories of lucky numbers leading to life-changing wins tend to capture public imagination across the world, including in India, where numerology and personal lucky numbers often play a role in everything from major purchases to lottery ticket selections. Munoz’s win adds to a long list of such stories where a deeply personal connection to a number appeared to align with a moment of extraordinary luck.

Scratched The Ticket In-Store, Felt Immediate Rush Of Emotion

As for Munoz, his winning ticket now stands as a rather fitting tribute to a number that has quite literally shaped major milestones in his life — from his date of birth to what is likely to be one of the most memorable days of his life so far.