Marcia Adams, a 33-year-old accountant of College Park, just wanted to get some chocolate for her boyfriend and instead, wound up with a Georgia Lottery ticket worth more than $50 million. Lottery checker

Adams is actually the winner of the $72 million Mega Millions jackpot. But, she opted to take the lump-sum amount of $52 million.

It all started when Adams and her boyfriend went to a Chevron Food Mart at about 10 p.m. on Tuesday to buy a candy bar, Adams told reporters Thursday at Georgia Lottery headquarters. “I told him to buy me a Quik Pik, he picked up one for himself and left the candy.”

Thursday morning, as they were driving to work, a lottery billboard on the road reminded them of the tickets they had bought two days earlier that were left in the center console of the car. Lottery winning numbers

“He checked the number on his phone, and screamed my name,” Adams said. “We pulled over to the side of the highway to could check the number again. Then I said, ‘We’ve got to get to the nearest store so I could check the numbers again.”

The winning numbers matched her ticket : 10-22-24-36-49 and 33 for the Mega Ball.

But Adams needed even more verification so she emailed her saying she wouldn’t be in that day, found directions to the lottery office, and went straight there.

But, even after official confirmation from lottery officials, Adams said the truth was difficult to grasp.

“It still hasn’t set in,” she said. “It seems like it’s somebody else besides me.”

By taking the cash option, Adams leaves $20 million on the table and takes $52 million, all of which, after state and federal taxes, gives her the chance to pocket around $33.8 million.

“That’s plenty,” Adams joked.

But still, this 12-year corporate accountant is not ready to leave her job. “I love what I do,” she said. “I have a purpose.”

Her plans now include hiring a financial planner that will help her put her money where it will do her and her family the most good.

“I want this money to last so I can retire early, not retire now,” Adams said, “and be comfortable and make sure that my family is comfortable.”

Her hope is that the investments she makes are smart.

“I want to make sure every investment is done with a sound mind, not just personal feelings,” Adams said.

On her short list of things to do with her wealth: “My boyfriend and I are going to plan our wedding,” Adams said.

“Take a family trip. I don’t know where, but just as long as we’re together.”

She also plans to share with her family, her parents who are retired in South Georgia and two sisters.

“We’re going to sit down with my parents, who have had some medical issues lately, and make sure their affairs are in order,” Adams said.

And even when she does not plan to do anything fancy with her money, there is only one thing she will definitely do, “I’ll probably get another house, only because now, my name is out,” she said.