Ronnie Oxendine of Maxton says a $100,000 lottery prize means he can replace the roof that Hurricane Matthew damaged on his home back in October.

“During the flood, I felt like something good had to be coming,” Oxendine said. “I just felt that we gave so much to other people.”

Oxendine’s good luck occurred after he stopped by the Discount Tobacco & Market on East 4th Avenue in Red Springs and got a $5 Mega Bucks ticket.

“When I scanned my ticket and realized I won,” Oxendine said. “I thought, ‘Is this really happening?’”

It was, and he claimed his prize Monday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh. After required state and federal tax withholdings, Oxendine took home $69,502.

“I feel blessed to get this,” Oxendine said. “We’ve experienced the bad. Now we’d like to experience the good.”

Ticket sales from games like Mega Bucks made it possible for the lottery to raise more than $634 million for the state last year. For details on how lottery funds have made a difference in Robeson County, click on the “For Education” section of the lottery’s website.