RALEIGH – Ahmed Hassan of Lackawanna, N.Y. is the first player to win the $150,000 top prize in the new White Hot 5’s game. He purchased the lucky $5 ticket at the Smoke Shop and More on Santa Fe Drive in Fayetteville.
After state and federal taxes were withheld, Hassan received a check for $103,801.
The White Hot 5’s game went on sale on Tuesday. As of Friday morning, four more $150,000 top prizes remain to be claimed in the game.
Ticket sales have made it possible for the lottery to raise more than $3.3 billion for the state. Net proceeds are used for prekindergarten programs for at-risk four-year-olds, teachers’ salaries in grades K-3, school construction, digital learning initiatives, need-based college scholarships and financial aid.
For details on how more than $115.8 million in lottery funds have made a difference in Cumberland County, click on the “Where the Money Goes” tab on the lottery’s website.