Daniel Weisner Jr. of Hendersonville says his high school basketball number helped him win Tuesday’s $341,314 Cash 5 jackpot.
“I’ve been playing the same two numbers for a few weeks,” said Weisner, who works at Bryan Easler Toyota in Hendersonville. “But I chose 22 as the third one, my high school basketball number, and the rest just kind of came to me.”
Before heading to work on Wednesday, Weisner called the lottery’s helpline to check the Cash 5 numbers. Listening to the winning numbers for the first time, Weisner thought he heard wrong.
“I had to hang up and call again!” said Weisner. “And once I realized we had won, I said to my wife, ‘Honey, we just won $341,314.’”
But his wife, Teresa, thought he was joking.
“He’s usually right about everything,” said Teresa. “But especially with numbers. I should have known.”
Weisner, who bought the $1 ticket at Norm’s Minit Mart on Spartanburg Highway in Hendersonville, beat odds of 1 in 749,398 to match all five numbers. He claimed his prize at lottery headquarters in Raleigh on Thursday and after required state and federal tax withholdings, took home $236,744.
He plans on using the money to take his four grandchildren on a beach vacation. He will save the rest.
“This will definitely help with retirement,” said Weisner. “We are lucky.”
Cash 5 drawings are held every night. Jackpots start at $50,000 and grow until they are won. Friday’s jackpot is an estimated $105,000.
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 Henderson County, click on the “For Education” section of the lottery’s website.