Dennis Cochran Jr., a construction worker from Rutherfordton, stopped in a store to buy a tablet charger for his son. While there, he tried his luck with three instant tickets and won $150,000 on the first try.

Cochran said the win prompted a celebration in the store, the Mustang II on East Main Street in Forest City. “I went wild in the store,” he said. “I was crazy. I thought I was dreaming.”

Cochran won the last of four top prizes of $150,000 in the game. After withholdings for federal and state taxes, he received $103,801.

He said he would use his prize money for his family. “Take care of children,” he said. “I’ve got five kids. We may take a small vacation.”

Ticket sales for instant games such as Mega Money Multiplier have made it possible for the lottery to raise more than $3.19 billion for education programs statewide. For details on how more than $19 million in lottery funds have made a difference in Rutherford County, click on the “Where the Money Goes” tab on the lottery’s website.