Laney Pulley from Augusta, Georgia, credits his fiancee's craving for a watermelon to winning half of a $223,804 Cash 5 jackpot.

The Fort Gordon military instructor was in his hometown of Spring Hope visiting his mother when his good luck hit.

“I went to pick up my fiancee on the way to see my mother,” said Pulley recalling the moment. “She wanted a watermelon, so we stopped by the Food Lion and I ended up buying some lottery tickets.”

Later that Saturday evening, Pulley and his fiancee, Michell, remembered to check his ticket.

“I started looking at the numbers and then at the ticket,” said Pulley. “And I couldn’t believe it. I had Michell check it just to make sure. She goes, ‘I think you won!’”

Pulley bought the lucky $1 Quick Pick at the Food Lion on East Nash Street in Spring Hope. He claimed his prize Friday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. His half of the jackpot is $111,902. After required state and federal tax withholdings, he took home $78,896. The couple plans on paying bills and going on a trip to celebrate Pulley’s 60th birthday.

“It’s funny,” Michell said laughing. “They didn’t even have a watermelon! Go figure.”

The other half of the July 21 jackpot was claimed on Tuesday by Edgar Duer of Oriental.

Ticket sales from draw games like Cash 5 make it possible for the lottery to raise more than $600 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.