Barbara Johnson of Grifton had luck on her side when she played the Red Hot Slots scratch-off game and won $200,000.
Her good fortune happened when she stopped by the Handy Mart on N.C. 11 South in Winterville and bought the $5 ticket.
Johnson claimed her prize Monday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. After required state and federal tax withholdings, she took home $139,003.
Red Hot Slots launched in August with four top prizes of $200,000. Because Johnson claimed the last top prize, the lottery will take steps to end the game.
Ticket sales from instant games like Red Hot Slots 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.