John Grabski, a retired airline mechanic from Charlotte, said he feels like a lucky man after winning his second Carolina Cash 5 jackpot in five years.

Grabski beat odds of 1 in 575,575 to win Tuesday's Cash 5 jackpot of $424,168. Almost five years ago, in April of 2010, he won a Cash 5 jackpot of $773,609.

“I’m just lucky,” Grabski said Wednesday as he collected his after tax winnings of $293,740. “I just feel like I have good luck on my side.”

Grabski said he plays Cash 5 regularly but has several rules he follows. He limits his weekly Cash 5 plays to no more than $10. He always buys Quick Pick tickets. And he waits to play until the amount of the Cash 5 jackpot hits $200,000.

Grabski said he and his wife have several “big projects” in mind for the winnings. He bought the lucky ticket at the BI-LO on Camfield Street in Charlotte.

Ticket sales made it possible for the lottery to raise more than half a billion for the state last year. For details on how more than $297 million in lottery funds have made a difference for specific education programs in Mecklenburg County, click on the “Where the Money Goes” tab on the lottery’s website.