Luck, like lightning, rarely strikes the same place twice. For Roger Lunsford of Swannanoa, however, luck struck twice in six months. Lunsford, who won $50,000 back in January playing $10,000,000 Colossal Cash, recently won $200,000 playing All About The Bens.
“I’m not one of those folks that jumps up and down and hollers,” said Lunsford. “But I was shocked when I saw that I had won again, and how much it was.”
Lunsford purchased the lucky $5 ticket at the Stop N Go on U.S. 70 in Swannanoa. When he scratched to reveal the top prize of $200,000 he couldn’t believe it.
“It was definitely a lot to take in,” he said.
Lunsford, who is retired, plans to put the money into a “rainy day” fund. He also has some sunny adventures planned as well.
“We want to take a vacation to Florida,” he said. “I love fishing and it’s so nice out on the water there.”
Lunsford came to lottery headquarters in Raleigh Wednesday to claim his prize. After required federal and state withholdings, he took home $141,501.
All About The Bens launched in June with four top prizes of $200,000. Two more top prizes remain to be claimed.
Ticket sales from draw games and scratch-offs make it possible for the lottery to raise more than $650 million a year for education. For details on how $11.8 million in lottery funds made a difference in Buncombe County last year, visit the “Impact” section of the lottery’s website.