A $100,000 Powerball win couldn’t come at a happier time for Richard and Marie Male of Wilmington, as they get ready to walk two daughters down the aisle.

At first the couple couldn’t believe they had won so much.

“It didn’t sink in until they said I won $100,000,” Richard said.

“It was a shock,” Marie agreed.

The couple was watching Wednesday night’s drawing as the winning numbers were chosen. They were so excited that they couldn’t sleep, and found the nearest retailer that could verify their ticket.

The Males claimed their prize at lottery headquarters in Raleigh Thursday afternoon. After required state and federal tax withholdings they’ll take home $69,263. The couple says they’ll use the money to pay for their daughters' weddings.

The Males bought their $3 Power Play ticket at the Speedway on Carolina Beach Rd. in Wilmington. To win $100,000 they matched four of the five white balls and the Red Powerball. The prize doubled from $50,000 to $100,000 when the 2x multiplier was drawn for Power Play tickets.

In all, Wednesday’s drawing resulted in 19 big wins in North Carolina. Two tickets won $2 million, three tickets won $100,000 and 14 others won $50,000. Thousands of other prizes were won across the state.

Powerball sales on Wednesday also helped to set a new single-day record for lottery ticket sales in the state of $27.8 million, including $20.9 million from Powerball alone.

Ticket sales from games like Powerball made it possible for the lottery to raise more than half a billion dollars for the state last year. For details on how over $69.6 million in lottery funds have made a difference in New Hanover County, click on the “Where the Money Goes” section of the lottery’s website.