'Do what you can as far as helping other people': Greensboro man says big portion of $2M lottery will go to helping his church

GREENSBORO, N.C. — James Gibbs Jr., of Greensboro, made a stop for coffee and won a $2 million prize, according to the NC Education Lottery.

While buying his coffee, Gibbs ran into a friend who suggested they buy a few lottery tickets. They won, but the store didn’t have enough money to pay their winnings.

“So my friend was like, ‘We can go across the street,’” he recalled.

Gibbs and his friend walked to the Pantry Shop on South Holden Road in Greensboro to cash in their winning tickets, and Gibbs decided to buy a few 100X The Cash tickets.

“The first one had $20 on it,” he recalled. “And the second one had the big prize on it.”

Gibbs had the option to take the $2 million prize as an annuity of 20 payments of $100,000 a year or a lump sum of $1.2 million.

He chose the lump sum and took home $849,006 after required state and federal tax withholdings.

“I’m still just me,” Gibbs said. “Enjoy life and do what you can as far as helping other people.”

With his prize money, he says, “A big portion of this will go to the church I attend. I can do some more remodeling work to my house and just keep on working.”

Source: Fox 8 News Channel