North Carolina COVID-19 nurse starts out 2021 with $1 million lottery win

DURHAM, North Carolina -- A COVID-19 nurse started out 2021 on an exhilarating high -- by winning $1 million in the North Carolina Education Lottery.

Terri Watkins thought someone was pulling her leg when she learned about her winnings last week.

"I thought that it was a scam. I was a little upset actually!" she said, laughing. "I thought that it was not real, couldn't be real. It's still something that I really don't believe, I'm still in some shock here."

SEE ALSO: Preschool teacher who was laid off after 20 years wins $250,000 in lottery

Watkins' entry was chosen from over 513,000 entries in the final $300,000,000 Supreme Riches second-chance drawing on Wednesday.

"I'm a nurse and I work in the COVID-19 unit at a long-term care facility," said Watkins. "Just seeing some of the things that I've had to see, I am very thankful. I had been praying for something to help me with this situation. It really is a great thing. I'm very blessed."

Watkins said she'll mull over what to do with her winnings, but a new home sounds nice.

MORE: Lottery winner out of luck when ticket gets lost in mail

"I'm just going to take it slow and easy and figure out what I'm going to do," said Watkins. "I would love a new home, but I've just got to take time and put it in the right place."