RALEIGH – Darrick Barnes, a resident of Saratoga in Wilson County, decided to purchase a Carolina Cash 5 ticket on Friday. As he was leaving the store, something told him to turn around and purchase one more ticket. His hunch paid off and the ticket matched all five numbers in the April 13 drawing, winning him the $113,329 jackpot.

“I was all the way out to my car getting ready to drive away,” Barnes said. “I’m so glad I went back in for one more.”

He plans to use his winnings, worth $77,064 after taxes, to pay bills, help his immediate family and save for the future. He purchased the winning Quick Pick ticket at Rose Mart on Nash Street in Wilson.

“People didn’t think I could win, but here I am,” Barnes added. “I can’t explain it. I just had a feeling that my day was coming soon.”

Since the lottery began through June 30, 2011, Wilson County education programs received more than $15.6 million in lottery funds. By law, those funds pay for teachers’ salaries in grades K-3, school construction, need-based college scholarships and prekindergarten programs.

To date, the N.C. Education Lottery has raised more than $2.2 billion for these initiatives statewide.