For William Graves of Mint Hill, the odds were in his favor when he decided to play Cash 5 for the first time. He beat the odds of 1 in 749,398 in Thursday’s drawing to win a $205,795 jackpot.
He bought the $1 Quick Pick ticket at Earp’s BP on Fairview Road in Charlotte.
He claimed his prize Monday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. After federal and state tax withholdings, he received $142,513.
Ticket sales from games like Cash 5 made it possible for the lottery to raise more than half a billion dollars for the state last year. For details on how more than $352.6 million in lottery funds has made a difference in Mecklenburg County, click on the “For Education” section of the lottery’s website.