Army veteran Dock Autry of Autryville is celebrating his good fortune after he won a $250,000 lottery prize.

“I’ve waited a long time for this,” Autry said. “I’ve won smaller prizes before, but nothing this big.”

Autry served in the Army for 21 years. He fought in both the Korean and Vietnam Wars.

His good fortune happened when he stopped by Strickland’s on Maxwell Road in Stedman and got a $250,000 Diamond Dazzler ticket. He took the ticket home and started scratching.

“It was kind of hard to believe,” Autry said of his win. “I had to look at the ticket two or three times.”

He claimed his prize Wednesday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. After required state and federal tax withholdings, Autry took home $173,754. He plans to save the money.

The $5 game launched in September with five top prizes of $250,000. Three top prizes remain.

Ticket sales from instant games like $250,000 Diamond Dazzler make it possible for the lottery to raise more than $600 million a year for education. For details on how lottery funds have made a difference in all of North Carolina’s 100 counties, click on the “For Education” section of the lottery’s website.