Christy Merritt of Efland won a big lottery prize several years ago and, on Friday the 13th, she did it again with a $100,000 scratch-off win.
“My brain could just not comprehend it,” Merritt said. “It was very exciting though.”
She bought her lucky $30 Black Titanium ticket from Efland Supermarket on U.S. 70 West in Efland. She previously split a $250,000 scratch-off prize with her roommate in 2018 after buying a ticket from the same store.
“I did not believe what I was seeing,” she recalled. “It was certainly a shock.”
Merritt, a farmer and grandmother of four, said she wants to do something nice for her grandchildren with her latest big win.
“I have four already with another on the way so maybe I will take them on a nice trip,” she said. “Maybe to the beach.”
Merritt arrived at lottery headquarters Monday to collect her prize and, after required state and federal tax withholdings, took home $71,259.
In addition to a trip with her grandkids, she plans to pay some bills and put money away for retirement.
The Black Titanium game debuted in June with six $4 million top prizes and 16 $100,000 prizes. Four $4 million prizes and 10 $100,000 prizes remain to be claimed.
Ticket sales from scratch-off games make it possible for the lottery to raise $2.8 million a day on average for education. For details on how $8.3 million raised by the lottery made a difference in Orange County in 2022, visit www.nclottery.com and click on the “Impact” section.