RALEIGH –Craig Peters, a carpenter from Statesville, has won a trip to Hollywood and a chance to play for more prizes during a nonbroadcast version of the popular Wheel of Fortune game.
Peters was the grand prize winner in the Dec. 21 second chance drawing, winning the third and final trip offered in the Education Lottery’s Wheel of Fortune instant game. The two other second-chance drawing winners were Joshua Huffman of Morganton and Renee Lail of Shelby.
The three North Carolinians will join winners from lotteries in other states for the Hollywood trip scheduled for April. Winners receive roundtrip airfare for themselves and up to three guests to Los Angeles, five days/four nights deluxe hotel accommodation and $1,000 spending money. Each winner gets one spin on the Wheel of Fortune to win a guaranteed cash prize from $300 up to $10,000. During the trip, they also will get a chance to compete for additional prizes in a nonbroadcast version of Wheel of Fortune game hosted by game show hosts Pat Sajak and Vanna White.
“It’s just a blessing,” said Peters of his good luck. “I’m just shocked. It is something we were not dreaming we would be able to do.”
Peters, a fan of the Wheel of Fortune show, said he planned to take his wife, Bettie, and invite a son and his wife to accompany them.
As of Wednesday morning, the Wheel of Fortune game still had two unclaimed top prizes of $100,000 that could be won instantly. Non-winning tickets also can be entered into a final bonus drawing.
Three North Carolina finalists will be picked on Aug. 15, 2012 as contestants in the multi-state bonus drawing to be held in September. The drawing will involve 89 contestants from 19 state lotteries. It guarantees that one lucky winner will receive at least a $50,000 prize and have a chance at up to $1 million.
From March 30, 2006 through June 30, 2011, Iredell County education programs received more than $28.5 million in lottery funds. By law, these funds benefit specific programs, including teacher salaries in grades K-3, school construction and repair, prekindergarten programs and college scholarships and financial aid based on need. To date, the N.C. Education Lottery has raised more than $2.1 billion for these initiatives statewide.