Michael Mancuso Jr. of Maggie Valley watched the July 3 Cash 5 drawing live, and he couldn’t believe it when he matched all five numbers to win the $318,544 jackpot.
“I was kind of in shock,” he said. “I’m still in shock.”
Mancuso bought his lucky $1 Quick Pick ticket from Maggie Valley Mart on Soco Road in Maggie Valley. The odds of matching all five balls are 1 in 962,598.
He immediately started calling his family to share the good news.
“I told everybody,” he laughed. “They were all just excited.”
Mancuso claimed his prize Tuesday and, after required federal and state tax withholdings, took home $228,556. He plans to share his winnings with his family.
“I’m going to give a lot to my sister and my brother,” Mancuso said. “I want to spread it around to my family.”
Mancuso also shared his plans to buy a motorcycle with his winnings.
Cash 5 is one of six lottery games in North Carolina where players have the option of buying tickets at a retail location or with Online Play through the lottery’s website or the NC Lottery Official Mobile App. Tuesday’s jackpot is $273,000.
For details on how $3 million raised by the lottery made a difference for education programs in Haywood County last year, visit www.nclottery.com and click on the “Impact” section.