Jonathan Luna of Garner took a chance on a $1 Cash 5 ticket and won a $475,492 jackpot.
Luna bought his lucky ticket from Steve’s Mini Mart on West Garner Road in Garner. His ticket matched all five numbers to win the jackpot in the Dec. 8 drawing. The odds of matching numbers on all five balls are 1 in 962,598.
Luna claimed his prize at lottery headquarters Wednesday in Raleigh. After required federal and state tax withholdings, he took home $338,788.
Cash 5 is one of six lottery games in North Carolina where players have the option of buying their tickets at a retail location or with Online Play through the lottery’s website or with the NC Lottery Official Mobile App. Wednesday’s jackpot is $163,000.
During the holiday season, Play Smart, Gift Smart raises awareness that lottery tickets are not appropriate gifts for kids as part of a national gift responsibly campaign. Research shows that the earlier someone participates in or is exposed to gambling, the more likely they are to develop a gambling problem later in life.