Going back to school is now a possibility for Daytona Keeling of Asheboro after he won $200,000 playing the Carolina Panthers scratch-off game.

“It’s a miracle,” Keeling said of the win. “I plan to study graphic communications.”

Keeling, who works at a pretzel stand, said he doesn’t normally play the lottery, but decided to get a ticket on a whim.

“I just felt lucky, and had some extra money,” Keeling said.

At first he couldn’t believe what he saw.

“I was caught off guard,” he said.

Keeling claimed his prize Friday at lottery headquarters. After required state and federal tax withholdings, he took home $138,501.

Keeling bought the $5 ticket at the Tank & Tummy on U.S. 64 in Asheboro.
The Carolina Panthers game launched in August with four top prizes of $200,000. One top prize remains.

In addition to a $200,000 top prize, players can enter their tickets into a second-chance drawing for a grand prize of 20 years of Panthers season tickets.
Ticket sales from games like Carolina Panthers made it possible for the lottery to raise more than $634 million for the state last year. For details on how more than $53.6 million in lottery funds has made a difference in Randolph County, click on the “For Education” section of the lottery’s website.