RALEIGH – David Benn of Akron, Ohio, says since he retired as an art teacher in November a series of good things have happened, including a trip to Ocracoke when he stopped en route to buy a Powerball ticket and won $200,000.

Benn said he doesn’t believe in luck and attributed his good fortune to his faith. “Life has been good,” Benn said. “It is all about how blessed I am.”

He said his winning Powerball ticket continued a streak of good events that began with a trip to this year’s Super Bowl and then a trip to Mardi Gras in New Orleans where he marched in the Fat Tuesday parade. “I’m just like on a roll,” he said.

Benn said he was on his second trip to Ocracoke, where he vacations every year, when he stopped at The Border Station on the Caratoke Highway in Moyock and bought 10 chances in the Aug. 3 Powerball drawing. One ticket matched all five white balls to win the $200,000 prize. He said he had no special plans for the prize money, which was $136,005 after taxes were withheld, other than to support his retirement.

Benn’s ticket is one of six sold in North Carolina since June that have beat odds of one in five million to match the five white balls, providing wins of $200,000 for four ticket holders and $1 million for two others who bought the $2 Power Play option.

In Saturday’s Powerball drawing, a ticket sold at the Wilco on South Church Street in Hertford in Perquimans County matched four white balls and the Powerball and won $10,000. The winner has 180 days to claim the prize. Since no one matched all six numbers, the jackpot continued to roll. For Wednesday’s drawing, the jackpot is an estimated $220 million or $118.8 million if taken as a lump sum.

Since the lottery launched through June 30, 2010, Currituck County players have won more than $4.4 million in prizes and Currituck County retailers have earned more than $736,000 in commissions on ticket sales. During the same time frame, Currituck County education programs have received more than $3 million in lottery funds. By law, lottery funds benefit teacher salaries, school construction, need-based college scholarships, and prekindergarten programs. To date, the N.C. Education Lottery has provided more than $2 billion for the education initiatives it serves statewide.