For Annie Wilson of Greenville, S.C., a trip to visit her daughter-in-law turned into a $112,019 Cash 5 jackpot win.
Wilson beat odds of one in 749,398 to match all five numbers in the August 18 drawing.
The mental health caregiver went to the North Carolina Education Lottery’s website and checked her ticket that same night.
“I couldn’t believe it,” Wilson said when she found out she had a winning ticket. “I was so excited I haven’t been able to sleep for the last two days.”
Wilson bought the $1 ticket at the Scotland Stop N Shop on South Main Street in Laurinburg. She chose her numbers using a combination of family birthdays.
She claimed her prize Monday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. After required state and federal tax withholdings, Wilson took home $77,854. She plans to save the money.
Ticket sales from draw games like Cash 5 make it possible for the lottery to raise more than half a billion dollars a year for education. For details on how lottery funds have made a difference in all of North Carolina’s 100 counties click on the “For Education” section of the lottery’s website.