Alex Contreras of Charlotte took a chance on a $5 scratch-off and won a $200,000 prize.

Contreras bought his lucky Bonus Bucks ticket from the Han-Dee Hugo’s on Brawley School Road in Mooresville. He arrived at lottery headquarters Monday to collect his prize and, after required state and federal tax withholdings, took home $142,021.

Ticket sales from scratch-off games make it possible for the lottery to raise more than $2.5 million a day on average for education. For details on how $62.6 million raised by the lottery made a difference in Mecklenburg County in 2021, visit www.nclottery.com and click on the “Impact” section.