For Patrick Daniels of Tryon, it will be a holiday season to remember for his family after a $1 Cash 5 ticket delivered a $100,000 jackpot.
“They are going to have a nice Christmas that’s for sure,” Daniels said.
Daniels, 61, recalled he made a prediction to his wife when he went to bed Wednesday night.
“I told her, ‘Tonight I’m going to win the lottery,’” he said. “And then bam, I wake up this morning and I won. It’s incredible.”
Daniels said when he got up Thursday morning, he had a typical start to his day.
“I made the kids lunch for school, made some coffee for me and my wife, then I sat down and checked my tickets,” he said.
When he saw that he won, he said he was in disbelief.
“I was dumbfounded,” Daniels said. “I showed my wife so she could confirm it.”
Daniels matched all five white balls in Wednesday’s drawing to win the jackpot. He bought his Quick Pick ticket from Tryon Food Store on Lynn Road in Tryon. He arrived at lottery headquarters Thursday to collect his prize and, after required state and federal tax withholdings, took home $71,014.
Daniels said he will use his winnings to buy Christmas gifts for his family and put the rest in savings.
Cash 5 is one of four lottery games in North Carolina where players have the option of buying their tickets through a retail location or Online Play, either through the lottery’s website or with the NC Lottery Official Mobile App. Cash 5 tickets are $1 and drawings are held every night. Friday’s jackpot is $110,000.
Last year, Polk County education programs received $2.5 million raised by the lottery including $1.3 million to help build an addition to Tryon Elementary School.