RALEIGH – Ryan Pleasants of Mooresville plans to use the $264,015 prize he won playing Carolina Cash 5 to pay off his mortgage.

Pleasants beat odds of 1 in 575,757 when his ticket matched all five numbers in the Jan. 24 drawing, claiming a third of that night’s $792,045 jackpot.

“I was at a store and I asked them to scan my ticket,” Pleasants said. “The clerk said I had to claim my prize at lottery headquarters. I honestly couldn’t believe it then and I still don’t believe it now. This is absolutely amazing.”

After state and federal taxes were withheld, Pleasants received a check for $182,699. He said he also plans to use a portion of the winnings to pay off his auto loan, help his family and buy a new motorcycle. He purchased the lucky ticket at the Food Lion on North Main Street in Mooresville.

Two other tickets matched all five numbers in the Jan. 24 drawing. The first share of the jackpot was claimed on Tuesday by Charles Munday of Salisbury. The final share of the jackpot, which has yet to be claimed, came from a ticket sold at the Quik Chek on Old U.S. 52 North in Welcome.

As of December 2013, the lottery has raised more than $3.19 billion to benefit education programs. Lottery dollars support teachers’ salaries in grades K-3, school construction and repair projects, prekindergarten programs for at-risk four-year-olds, need-based college scholarships and financial aid and digital learning initiatives.

To see how more than $44.3 million in lottery dollars have made a difference in Iredell County, go to the Where the Money Goes webpage at http://www.nc-educationlottery.org/beneficiary.aspx.