$1 million wins and expiring tickets

Big wins and an expiring ticket highlight this week's NCEL wrap-up.

Powerball players in North Carolina, especially those in the Johnston County area, should double-check any tickets they have to see if they are the winner of an unclaimed $200,000 prize.

The ticket was purchased for the Nov. 12, 2011 Powerball drawing and will expire on Thursday, May 10. The selling retailer is the Scotchman on N.C. 210 in Benson.

If you're going through a stack of tickets, here are the numbers to look for: 4 - 35 - 36 - 51 – 56.
Remember, the winner has to claim the prize by 5 p.m. at NCEL headquarters in Raleigh on May 10.

“We have been telling everyone that comes in to check their ticket,” said John Swithenbank, the store’s manager. “I really hope someone comes forward. We’ve never had a big win like this, so it would be sad if no one turned it in.”

Now on to the big winners. Three players won $1 million prizes this week playing Powerball, Mega Millions and scratch-off games.

Shin Oh of Wilson beat odds of more than one in 5.1 million to match all five white balls in the April 11 Powerball drawing. He had the winning ticket in his wallet for three weeks before finding out he had won. “If I had only won $10,000 I’d be happy,” he said.

A cashier in Charlotte won $1 million during the recent big Mega Millions jackpot run. Less than an hour before the numbers were drawn on March 27, Mehari Berhe bought a  ticket that wound up winning $1 million. He spent the last month considering the purchase of a house and starting a business.

As for scratch-offs, Travis Manning of Trenton won the fourth and final $1 million prize in the Carolina Gold instant game. The Mannings plan to use the prize money to save for their kids' college and take a Disney World vacation.

Tonight's Mega Millions jackpot is an estimated $118 million if taken as an annuity or $86.8 million if taken as a lump sum. 

Saturday’s Powerball jackpot is an estimated $60 million if taken as an annuity or $37.5 million if taken as a lump sum.

Have a luck-e weekend everyone!