RALEIGH – Andrey Griswold, a maintenance worker from the Wayne County section of La Grange, says he was “shocked twice” when he discovered he had won a second $100,000 prize while playing an instant game with the N.C. Education Lottery.
Griswold won the top prize in one of the lottery’s holiday games, $100,000 Treasure Tree, after buying three $5 tickets at the Save Mart of Lenoir on Wooten Street in La Grange. In July, Griswold won the $100,000 top prize in the 10X the Money scratch-off game.
“I was shocked twice,” Griswold said. Asked if he felt lucky to win big twice, Griswold said, “No.Not luck. Blessed.”
Griswold collected $68,001 after taxes were withheld. He said he planned to put his money into savings. His win left two of the five top prizes in the game unclaimed.
From March 30, 2006 through June 30, 2011, Wayne County players won more than $55.3 million in prizes and local retailers earned more than $7.5 million in commissions on ticket sales. During the same time period, Wayne County education programs received more than $29.6 million in lottery funds, including $8 million for teacher salaries in grades K-3; $10.5 million for school construction or repair projects; $9 million for prekindergarten programs for at-risk four-year-olds; and $2 million for college scholarships based on financial need.
To date, the N.C. Education Lottery has raised more than $2.1 billion for these initiatives statewide.