A lottery winner has vowed to buy a Walmart checkout girl a thank-you gift after she suggested he should buy a ticket that earned him a cool USD 100,000.

Michael Buck, 62, had popped into a Walmart Supercenter in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, USA, to pick up some items from the in-store pharmacy.

After the cashier convinced him to buy a Powerball ticket with his order for USD 3 (GBP 2.60), he was stunned to find it had won him a whopping USD 100,000 (GBP 88,000).

Buck later said his winnings weren’t enough to buy the girl a car, “but I’ll definitely bring her something”.

He plans to use the bulk of his winnings to boost his retirement.

In a statement obtained by Newsflash, North Carolina Education Lottery said: “A tip from a Walmart employee convinced Michael Buck of Rocky Mount to try his luck in the record $2.04 billion Powerball drawing, resulting in a $100,000 prize.”

Buck said: “The girl at the pharmacy told me they sold Powerball tickets at customer service. I told her, ‘If I win I’ll come back and buy you a car.'”

The statement continued: “Buck, a 62-year-old solutions architect, matched numbers on four white balls and the Powerball to win $50,000 on his Power Play ticket. The prize doubled to $100,000 when the 2X Power Play multiplier hit.”

Buck said: “I didn’t hit the jackpot so I can’t buy her a car but I’ll definitely bring her something.”

The statement went on: “Buck bought his $3 Quick Pick ticket from the Walmart Supercenter on Benvenue Road in Rocky Mount.”

Buck said: “I usually start playing when the jackpot goes over $500 million. This win really is quite extraordinary.”

The statement continued: “He said he didn’t know how to react when he realized he won.”

Buck said: “I kind of just walked around the house a little bit. I was shaking.”

The statement went on: “Buck’s win was one of 10 big wins for North Carolinians in the drawing, including one $1 million winner. Buck claimed his prize Tuesday at lottery headquarters and, after required federal and state tax withholdings, took home $71,017.

“He said a large amount of his winnings will boost his retirement.”