RALEIGH – Bettie Yarboro-Jackson, who owns the Southern Treasures Consignments and Antiques store in Roxboro, is celebrating after winning two lottery prizes over the past three days, including $150,000 in the new $500 Mayhem game.

“I had never won more than fifty dollars playing scratch-off games,” Yarboro-Jackson said. “Then I got lucky and won a thousand dollars this weekend on a 20X The Cash ticket. So on Monday, I came to the Raleigh claim center to claim the prize. After I got my money, the nice ladies behind the counter wished me good luck. I jokingly said that I’d be back soon, but I never imagined it would be this soon.”

Later that day, Yarboro-Jackson stopped at Henry’s Quick Stop on Durham Road in Roxboro to try her luck in the new $5 game.

“I walked back over to my store and started scratching the tickets,” Yarboro-Jackson said. “When I saw what I had won, I couldn’t believe it. I still can’t, honestly.”

After state and federal taxes were withheld, Yarboro-Jackson received a check for $103,876. She plans to use her winnings to save for her children and travel to England to take a river cruise.

“Some people may think that the lottery is some sort of gimmick, but the truth is that your chance of winning is just as good as the next person’s,” Yarboro-Jackson said as she collected her winnings. “I’m living proof of that. This just feels wonderful.”

The $500 Mayhem game went on sale Tuesday. Yarboro-Jackson was the first player to claim one of the game’s five top prizes. She beat odds of 1 in 1,368,000 to win the top prize.

Ticket sales have made it possible for the lottery to raise more than $3.8 billion for the state. 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, for school construction and repair, and need-based college scholarships and financial aid.

For details on how $12.2 million in lottery funds have made a difference for specific education programs in Person County, click on the “Where the Money Goes” tab on the lottery’s website.