For Keith Hollifield of Hickory, a trip to the store to get a Danish for his wife turned into a $100,000 win after he made an unplanned stop and bought a Ruby Red 7’s ticket.

Hollifield was on his way home with the Danish when he decided to go to the Cubbard Express on Springs Road in Hickory. “I didn’t need gas,” Hollifield said. “I just randomly decided to stop.”

He bought a $20 Ruby Red 7’s ticket and won $100,000.

“I couldn’t believe it,” Hollifield said. “I was so excited.”
After he won, he rushed home with the ticket and Danish for his wife who was also in disbelief.

It finally set in when Hollifield claimed his prize Monday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. After required state and federal tax withholdings he received $69,256. He plans to use the money to help his family.

Ruby Red 7’s launched this month with three top prizes of $4 million, four prizes of $1 million, and eight prizes of $100,000. All $4 million prizes, three $1 million prizes, and seven $100,000 prizes remain.

Ticket sales from games like Ruby Red 7’s made it possible for the lottery to raise more than half a billion dollars for the state last year. For details on how almost $58.8 million in lottery funds has made a difference in Catawba County, click on the “For Education” section of the lottery’s website.