Patti Pilat of Sanford took a chance on a new $5 scratch-off game and became the first winner of the top prize of $250,000.
Pilat bought her lucky 20X The Cash ticket from the Walmart on N.C. 87 South in Sanford. She is the first winner of a $250,000 top prize in the scratch-off game.
Pilat arrived at lottery headquarters Wednesday to collect her prize and, after required state and federal tax withholdings, took home $177,526.
The 20X The Cash game launched this month with four top prizes of $250,000. Three $250,000 prizes remain to be claimed.
Ticket sales from scratch-off games make it possible for the lottery to raise more than $900 million per year for education. For details on how $4.3 million raised by the lottery made a difference in Lee County in 2020, visit www.nclottery.com and click on the “Impact” section.