It’s shaping up to be a lucky New Year for Billy Carden of Trinity, after he nearly threw away a $500 Cash scratch-off ticket worth $150,000.

The apartment maintenance supervisor said he was holding his four tickets over the trash when he decided to check the numbers one more time. When he looked again, he saw that one of them was a winner.

“It’s a great way to start off the New Year” Carden said “it’s really, really cool.” Carden claimed his prize at the lottery headquarters in Raleigh Monday morning.

After required state and federal tax withholdings, Carden received $103,815. While he isn’t sure what he’ll do with the money, Carden said he will probably save some to pay for his daughter’s college.

Carden bought the winning $5 ticket Sunday at the West Friendly BP on 5601 W. Friendly Avenue in Greensboro.

$500 Cash launched in December. Two top prizes of $150,000 remain.

Ticket sales made it possible for the lottery to raise more than half a billion dollars for the state last year. For details on how over $53.6 million in lottery funds have made a difference in Randolph County, click on the “Where the Money Goes” section of the lottery’s website.