For Brittney James of Fayetteville, winning a $147,107 Fast Play jackpot means a new opportunity to further her education.

“I was getting ready to go back to school,” she said. “I want to do dental hygiene and this is going to help a lot.”

James purchased her $2 Jackpot 7s ticket from Lucky Seven on Raeford Road in Fayetteville on Monday.

Her ticket beat odds of 1 in 240,000 to win 20 percent of the jackpot. At the time of the win, the Fast Play jackpot stood at $735,535, producing a prize for James of $147,107.

“I always play that game and I was just feeling lucky that morning!” recalled James.

She claimed her prize Wednesday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. After required federal and state tax withholdings, she took home $104,079.

“I just know it means a lot for me and my kids,” said James of her win. “I’ve kind of been struggling for a while and this is just perfect timing. It’s a good way to kick off 2021.”

Fast Play’s rolling, progressive jackpot increases with every ticket sold until it is won.

Printed on each ticket is the amount of the jackpot when the ticket is sold and how much of that jackpot the ticket could win. Players can also win instant cash prizes on their Fast Play tickets.

Ticket sales from Fast Play games make it possible for the lottery to raise more than $725 million per year for education. For details on how lottery funds have helped all of North Carolina’s 100 counties, click on the “Impact” section of the lottery’s website.