Hubert Thompson, a truck driver from Whiteville, delivered a $200,000 prize to his retirement account Friday after winning the first top prize in the new Blazing 7’s game.

Thompson, who’s been driving trucks for 41 years, said he likes to try new games so when he saw the $5 Blazing 7’s tickets at Time Saver Food Store on Washington Street in Whiteville he bought some. He said he won $5 on the first ticket and then $200,000 on the second.

“This was a blessing,” Thompson said. “Just like everybody else, I’ve always said I’m going to hit the big one. It was my time.”

Thompson said he plans to retire in a year or two so he will save his prize for retirement. After tax withholdings, he took home $141,501.

The Blazing 7’s game started on Tuesday with four top prizes of $200,000. Three more remain to be claimed.
Ticket sales from scratch-offs make it possible for the lottery to raise more than $650 million a year for education. For details on how $3.9 million in lottery funds made a difference in Columbus County last year, click on the “Impact” section of the lottery’s website.