ATLANTA — Winning is par for the course for a Stone Mountain golfer who won $5 million in a Georgia lottery drawing on Friday.
Lee McDaniel, 67, won $5 million in the Georgia Lottery's World Class Millions $5 Million Grand Prize Event at the Channel 2 news station.
The drawing was streamed to district offices on wsbtv.com.
Georgia Lottery $5 Million Drawing
"I'm just excited," said McDaniel, who works at Mystery Valley Golf Club in Lithonia. "Before I came, I got up and went over to the golf course, and one guy guaranteed me that I would win."
McDaniel was one of 72 contestants randomly selected in weekly second-chance drawings for the instant game World Class Millions. Each weekly winner won $5,000 and a chance at the $5 million grand prize.
Contestants gathered at viewing parties at Georgia Lottery district offices in Atlanta, Augusta, Columbus, Dalton, Duluth, Macon and Savannah. Random drawings were held to award 25 $500 prizes and two tickets to an Atlanta Falcons game.
When McDaniel was selected in the $5 million drawing, he immediately jumped up and hugged his wife, Maude.
McDaniel and his wife will celebrate their 46th wedding anniversary on Monday.
"Our anniversary weekend is off to a great start," McDaniel exclaimed.
Since its first year, the Georgia Lottery Corp. has returned more than $11.9 billion to the state of Georgia for education. All Georgia Lottery profits go to pay for specific educational programs, including Georgia's HOPE Scholarship Program and Georgia's Pre-K Program.
More than 1.25 million students have received HOPE, and more than 1 million 4-year-olds have attended the statewide, voluntary prekindergarten program.