Dewayne Townsend of Canton, Ga., said he can pay off his house and retire a lot sooner now after winning the first $200,000 prize in the Carolina Panthers scratch-off game.

“It makes me feel good. Real good,” Townsend said. “It will make life so much easier for me now.”

Townsend bought his lucky $5 scratch-off from Kwik Stop on Old Highway 64 West in Warne. He said he works near the state line and he enjoys buying scratch-offs in North Carolina.

“I go to that store all the time,” he said. “I’m up there a lot for work.”

Townsend said this win will help him out in a major way.

“I have worked since I was probably 14 years old,” he said. “I’m 60 years old now and it is going to help me retire a whole lot sooner now.”

He arrived at lottery headquarters Thursday to claim his prize and, after required state and federal tax withholdings, took home $142,501.

Townsend said in addition to putting money away for his retirement, he will use his winnings to pay off his house.

The Carolina Panthers game debuted in July with five $200,000 top prizes. Four $200,000 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 lottery funds have made a difference in all of North Carolina’s 100 counties, click on the “Impact” section of the lottery’s website.