Orlando Jones of Nashville said he drove around a scratch-off ticket worth $100,000 for four days without even realizing it.
Jones, a truck driver, stopped by the Speedway on Bethlehem Road in Rocky Mount Thursday night. He bought three $4,000,000 Diamond Dazzler tickets. Jones said he threw the tickets in his truck and forgot about them.
“I didn’t scratch them until Monday night,” Jones said. “I never scratch my tickets when I get them. I just like the anticipation. I’m the same way with presents, I don’t open them until after Christmas.”
Jones scratched the first ticket and won $20. He won $25 on the second ticket. When he scratched the third ticket, he couldn’t believe it.
“I had to go get my glasses and make sure I wasn’t seeing things,” Jones said. “It feels great to win!”
He claimed the prize Tuesday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. After required state and federal tax withholdings, he took home $70,507. He plans to use some of the money to pay off his truck.
Jones said he still plans to wait before scratching his lottery tickets.
“I’ve got another scratch-off ticket in my truck right now,” Jones said with a laugh. “I probably should have scratched it before I came in. Who knows, it could have $1 million on it.”
The $20 ticket launched in September 2017 with three top prizes of $4 million, six $1 million prizes, and six $100,000 prizes. One $4 million prize, three $1 million prizes, and two $100,000 prizes remain.
Ticket sales from games like $4,000,000 Diamond Dazzler 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.