RALEIGH – Victoria Anthony, a Navy veteran from Oak City in Martin County, said she was left “speechless” over the Labor Day weekend when one of her lottery tickets turned out to have a $150,000 prize.

Anthony said she bought six instant tickets Saturday at the Wilco on Academy Street in Robersonville and headed home to play the games while sitting on her porch. She had no luck on the first five. But the last one turned out to have the game’s top prize.

“I was in shock,” Anthony said Tuesday as she claimed her prize. “Standing there, shaking, looking around.”

Anthony, who received a check for $103,801 after taxes were withheld, said she planned to save her winnings. “Sit on it,” she said. “I’ve got two small kids.”
The White Hot 5’s game launched at the beginning of May with 10 top prizes of
$150,000. As of Tuesday afternoon, five more top prizes remain to be claimed in the game.

Ticket sales have made it possible for the lottery to raise more than $3.4 billion for the state. North Carolina Education Lottery net proceeds will be used this year to help pay salaries of teachers and teacher assistants, for pre-kindergarten programs for at-risk four-year-olds, school construction and repair, and need-based college scholarships and financial aid.

For details on how more than $7.7 million in lottery funds have made a difference in Martin County, click on the “Where the Money Goes” tab on the lottery’s website.