Guillermo De Jesus Ramirez Jaimez of Raleigh won the first top prize of $150,000 in the new Crossword Connect game.
Ramirez Jaimez purchased the lucky ticket at the Pit Stop One on Lake Wheeler Road in Raleigh. With his claim, two top prizes remain to be claimed. The $5 game started on Dec. 6 with three top prizes of $150,000.
After required state and federal withholdings, Ramirez Jaimez received a check for $103,876.
Ticket sales make it possible for the lottery to raise more than half a billion dollars a year for education. To see how the funds support specific programs in every county, visit nclottery.com and click on the “For Education” page.