Mark Mensch of New Smyrna Beach, Fla., took a chance on a $5 scratch-off and won the first $200,000 prize in a new lottery game.
Mensch purchased his lucky Ca$h Plu$ ticket from Fatback’s Citgo on West U.S. 64 in Murphy.
He collected his prize at lottery headquarters Friday and, after required state and federal tax withholdings, took home $143,001.
The Ca$h Plu$ game debuted this month with four $200,000 top prizes. Three $200,000 prizes remain to be claimed.
For details on how money raised by the lottery made a difference for education programs in North Carolina last year, visit www.nclottery.com and click on the “Impact” section.