When Greenville resident Omar Thaher got a scratch-off ticket as a birthday present, he didn’t expect a $100,000 prize to be waiting for him.

“It was like a dream,” he recalled. “I’ve never won anything before.”

Thaher’s lucky $30 Black Titanium ticket came from Joy Quick Mart on North Duke Street in Durham. He won the first $100,000 prize in the new game.

“I really, really needed this,” Thaher said.

He arrived at lottery headquarters Thursday to collect his prize and, after required state and federal tax withholdings, took home $71,259.

“I’m about to travel overseas for a family emergency so this came at the perfect time,” Thaher said.

Thaher said in addition to using the money for travel expenses, he plans to use it for a down payment on a new house.

The Black Titanium game debuted last month with six $4 million prizes and 16 $100,000 prizes. Five $4 million prizes and 15 $100,000 prizes remain to be claimed.

Ticket sales from scratch-off games make it possible for the lottery to raise $2.5 million a day on average for education. For details on how $10.1 million raised by the lottery made a difference in Pitt County last year, visit www.nclottery.com and click on the “Impact” section.