Belinda Robinson of Elizabeth City called her mom right away after she found out she won a $250,000 scratch-off prize.

“I called my mama crying, saying, “I won, I won,’” Robinson recalled. “She told me to calm down because I almost gave her a heart attack.”

She said at first her mom didn’t believe how much she won.

“She thought I was playing so I sent her a picture of it,” Robinson laughed. “She told me, ‘You always said you were going to win big.’”

Robinson bought the lucky $5 Power 5s ticket from Duck Thru on U.S. 158 East in Camden. She won the first $250,000 top prize in the new game.

“I like to buy the new tickets,” Robinson said.

She arrived at lottery headquarters Monday to claim her prize and, after required state and federal tax withholdings, took home $178,126.

“I’m just so excited,” she said. “I still can’t believe it.”

The Power 5s game debuted this month with six $250,000 top prizes. Five $250,000 prizes remain to be claimed.

For details on how $2.5 million raised by the lottery made a difference in Pasquotank County in 2022, visit www.nclottery.com and click on the “Impact” section.