High Point man wins lottery jackpot

The High Point Enterprise, N.C.
·1 min read

Jan. 19—HIGH POINT — A High Point man won a $2 million prize this week in an N.C. Education Lottery drawing.

Luigi Dimeo will collect a prize of $100,000 a year over the next 20 years. Dimeo said in a lottery press release he "couldn't even talk" when he realized he won the $2 million on a $20 scratch-off ticket.

"I saw the 2 at the beginning and figured it was another $20 win," Dimeo said. "I kept scratching and I couldn't believe my eyes."

Dimeo immediately called his wife to tell her the news.

"She started jumping up and down," Dimeo said.

Dimeo, a 40-year-old part owner of Village Pizza in Stokesdale, became the first $2 million winner in the "$2,000,000 Diamond Dazzler" game, which was launched this month and has three more $2 million prizes. He bought his winning ticket at the Quick Mart on E. Martin Luther King Jr. Drive in High Point.

When Dimeo arrived at lottery headquarters on Tuesday to collect his prize, he had a decision to make. He could choose to receive the prize as an annuity of $100,000 over 20 years or a lump sum of $1.2 million. Dimeo chose the annuity and received $71,016 of his first $100,000 payment after taxes.

Dimeo said he wants to use the money to buy a house and possibly buy a rental property.