Zerineia Carmichael of Goldsboro said a lucky mix-up helped her win a $277,777 lottery prize.

Carmichael’s good fortune happened Sunday evening when she stopped by the Circle K on West Grantham Street in Goldsboro to get gas. While she was there, she asked for a Carolina Panthers ticket. The clerk accidentally gave her a ‘777’ ticket.

“Normally I would have asked her to give me what I asked for,” Carmichael said. “But something just said to keep the ticket.”

Carmichael took the ticket back to her car and started scratching.

“At first I thought I’d only won $7,” Carmichael said. “But I kept scratching. I saw two ‘sevens’, and then two more ‘sevens’. I was in shock when I realized what I’d won. I’m very glad the clerk made a mistake and gave me this ticket.”

Carmichael claimed her prize first thing Monday morning at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. After required state and federal tax withholdings, she took home $195,837. She plans to use some of the money to get a white Toyota Corolla.

Ticket sales from games like ‘777’ make it possible for the lottery to raise more than $650 million 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 “Impact” section of the lottery’s website.