Thanks to lucky birthday numbers, Allen Liverman of Elizabeth City, will start his 80th year with a $462,161 Cash 5 jackpot in his savings account.

“I play my own numbers,” Liverman said. “They always include my birthday.”
The pea farmer beat the odds of 1 in 749,398 to win the March 5 drawing.

He did a double take when he found out he matched all five numbers.

“I looked at my ticket and then backed up,” Liverman said. “I thought, ‘Let me look at that again.’”

He said it’s fitting he won the jackpot using his birthday numbers since he’s just weeks away from turning 80 years old.

“It’s an early birthday present,” Liverman said.

He claimed his prize Friday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. After required state and federal tax withholdings, he took home $321,206. When asked whether he’ll have a bigger birthday celebration because of the win, Liverman said he’d have to “sleep on it.” He plans to put the money in savings until he decides what to do with it.

Liverman bought the $1 ticket at the Zoom In on West Main Street in Elizabeth City.

Ticket sales from games like Cash 5 made it possible for the lottery to raise more than $634 million for the state last year. For details on how lottery funds have made a difference in Pasquotank County, click on the “For Education” section of the lottery’s website.