New Bern resident Eduardo Martinez Ortiz nearly gave away a scratch-off he bought but he followed his instinct, kept it, and uncovered a $250,000 prize.

“I’m so glad I didn’t give it away,” he laughed.

Ortiz went to the Royal Farms on Dr. MLK Jr. Boulevard in New Bern to buy scratch-offs for holiday presents.

“I like giving scratch-offs to family members as Christmas gifts,” he said.

Ortiz bought some scratch-offs for family members but also bought a couple for himself. He said he almost gave his $20 Perfect Gift ticket to a family member but made a last-minute choice to keep it.

“Something was just telling me to scratch it myself,” he recalled.

He said his dad was with him when he found out that he won.

“We got emotional and teared up a little bit,” Ortiz said.

He arrived at lottery headquarters Thursday to claim his prize and, after required state and federal tax withholdings, took home $178,131.

He said he plans to use his winnings to help his parents pay off their house.

The Perfect Gift game debuted in November with three $250,000 top prizes. Two $250,000 prizes remain to be claimed.

For details on how $5.9 million raised by the lottery made a difference in Craven County last year, visit www.nclottery.com and click on the “Impact” section.