A Rockdale County locksmith has opened the door on a $500,000 windfall from the Georgia Lottery.

The lucky locksmith, Marcus Wilhite, of Conyers won the prize in “The Big $5 Ticket” scratch-off game along with two other prizes on the June 30.

“Never in a million years did I think I’d hit that much money,” said Wilhite.

He bought three, $5 tickets. The first scored $3, the second $40 and the third hit the jackpot — half a million dollars.

“My dad was looking over my shoulder. He told me I’d won $500,000,” said Wilhite, who bought the tickets at the Conyers Food Mart on Highway 20 Northeast.

The 22-year-old says he will buy a new truck and go to Jamaica for a week. After that, he plans to save the rest of his winnings, which he claimed from the Georgia Lottery on July 1.

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The city of Brookhaven's mayor and City Council last week decided to remove the colored panes of glass from the dome of Brookhaven's new City Centre after residents objected to the brightness of the colors, seen here Friday, June 27, 2025. (Reed Williams/AJC)

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