The letters of a crossword puzzle revealed a $150,000 prize for Isidro Lopez De Dios of Charlotte.
Lopez De Dios purchased his winning $5 VIP Cashword ticket from the 7-Eleven on East Independence Boulevard in Matthews.
He claimed his prize Monday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh and took home $97,125 after required federal and state tax withholdings.
VIP Cashword launched in March with five top prizes of $150,000. Three top prizes remain to be won.
Ticket sales from scratch-offs like VIP Cashword make it possible for the lottery to raise more than $725 million a year for education. For details on how $60.5 million raised by the lottery made a difference in Mecklenburg County last year, visit www.nclottery.com and click on the “Impact” section.