Small-town player wins 'prize of a lifetime'

January 26, 2013 Posted by NC Lottery at 8:27 PM

Danny Williams is one of the 3,000 or so residents of Yadkinville, North Carolina. On a visit to Cutter's Grocery on Speer Bridge Road, he bought a $1 ticket for the $500 a Week for Life! game. When he got home, he scratched it off - and won big.

But it wasn't until after Williams arrived at the lottery's regional claim center in Greensboro that the man from the small town discovered just how big his prize was: $500 a week for life. He made the trip to lottery headquarters in Raleigh to collect his prize money. Williams summarized the experience in three words: "This feels good."

Another instant scratch-off winner, Eunjoo Kim of Matthews in Union County, was also pleasantly surprised to win. “I thought it was a joke at first,” Kim said as she collected the $200,000 prize she won playing Power 7's. “It’s nice and very exciting.”

After Wednesday's Powerball drawing, there is a new $1 million winner out there somewhere. The ticket, which matched all five white balls, was sold at the Harris Teeter on Clemmons Road in Clemmons. The winning white ball numbers were 11-12-24-43-45. Draw game winners have 180 days from the date of a drawing to collect prizes.

Carolina Cash 5 player Dennis Genung of Winston-Salem won $145,306 in the Jan. 19 drawing. His ticket was one of two in the drawing to match all five numbers. The other ticket, also worth $145,306, was sold at the Food Lion on York Road in Charlotte.

Speaking of Cash 5, the grand prize winner of the second Carolina Cash 5 Bonus Bucks drawing has collected his $50,000 prize. Paul Tilley of Lexington was issued the winning entry slip when he bought his Cash 5 tickets at the Quik Check on Old U.S. 52 in Welcome.

Of the $11.9 million in prizes awarded to instant scratch-off winners over the past week, here are a few of the biggest winners:

Bonnie Richardson of Burlington won $27,000 playing Triple Winning 7’s
Fred Alston of Louisburg won $21,000 playing Blackjack Tripler
Sandra Carabello of Fayetteville won $20,000 playing Power 7’s
Walter Swanson of Charlotte won $20,000 playing Power 7’s
Gonzalo Gomez of Rocky Point won $10,000 playing $2,500 a Week for Life!

Players of Pick 3, Pick 4 and Cash 5 won more than $3.9 million in total prizes, pushing the total won this week by all lottery players to more than $17.3 million.

That about wraps up this week's big winner wrap-up. See y'all next time here in the Lucke-Zone.

41 COMMENTS

2/01/2013 01:05 - NC Lottery

@ MIMI45 - Here are some other stories about lottery winners from Gaston County: http://bit.ly/WFTL0f

2/01/2013 01:04 - NC Lottery

@ FATSO - The rules state that the lottery will determine the deadline by which a drawing winner must respond to notifications. Please remember that the Lucke Rewards program is an additional benefit to lottery players at no additional cost. We understand why folks want to know who won and will share that information as soon as its available.

2/01/2013 12:59 - NC Lottery

@ KIM - Please take a look at some of our other blog entries where we explain the notification and claim process. There will always be at least several days between when a drawing is held and when winners' names are announced.

2/01/2013 12:59 - NC Lottery

@ GORAMS15 - Take a second to read our original response to you more closely. It said: "All a matter of luck - which we wish you the very best of!"

1/31/2013 07:55 - Reneta M.

Lucke zone left the luck out of my comment response, they said we wish you the best of! I probably will not have any luck now. They must have got in a hurry in response to my comment. Well I wish myself the Best Of Luck!!!!!!!!!!!!

1/31/2013 07:14 - Kimberly P.

why were the 5 - $500 winners not posted from 1/30/13?

1/31/2013 06:26 - Rosa G.

There should be a. Time limit on players claiming their wins for the Lucke Zone drawings. How long do we have to wait to see all the winners. If a time limit is set it would allow others to be chosen if others don't step up in the time allotted. What is Lucke Zone going to do about setting a time limit as far as future drawings are concerned.

1/31/2013 12:59 - marriette b.

listen up every one somebody finally won something up here in gastonia the mega millions thank god somebody finally won something i thought we was out of the race now if we can win big on a scratch off or won of the online games i be happy for these winners we in gastonia love winners seen like every were but here thank you nc lottery now we have hope

1/31/2013 11:02 - NC Lottery

@ DEALNOW - Glad you enjoy Lucke Rewards! Good luck!

1/31/2013 11:00 - NC Lottery

@ PLAYERJOANN - There are players all across North Carolina who are using points to enter into Lucke Rewards drawings. Folks in Onslow County have the same chance as everybody else. Best of luck!

1/31/2013 12:20 - joan b.

hi all how come no one in onslow county wins on this luck rewards thing?

1/30/2013 09:20 - clara m.

That sounds like a great idea.

1/30/2013 05:26 - gloria g.

I appreciate NCEL offering prize drawings for non winning scratch off games. Increases my chances of winning twice.

1/30/2013 03:22 - NC Lottery

@ BIGMONEY9 - You might just see a drawing like that at some point! :-)

1/30/2013 02:08 - Ervin J.

I think the second chance drawings are the besr thing to happen in NCEL. I would like to see 5 for $5000.00 drawings monthly instead of just one $25,000 winner.

1/29/2013 07:14 - NC Lottery

@ DOTTIE56 - You're not seeing double! Those two winners had amazing luck. In fact, we posted a blog with all the details. Just copy & paste this link into your web browser: http://bit.ly/14qUXd5

1/29/2013 06:24 - dorothy q.

I AM SEEING DOUBLE''CLAIRE HINPETER''HAS WON TWO WEEK IN A ROW IS THERE A PATTERN 5/500.00THE FRIST WINNER KEEP ON WINNING EACH WEEK,SOMEONE FILL ME IN ON WHAT HAPPEN.

1/29/2013 06:05 - dorothy q.

HAS ANYONE BUT ME NOTICE THAT'' STARR HILL''' HAS WON TWO WEEK STRAIGHT 5/500.00 DO YOU THINK THATS FAIR TO USE.IF YOU HAVEN'T CHECK THE WINNER LIST.

1/29/2013 05:55 - dorothy q.

I WON'T SOMEONE TO EXPLAIN TO ME HOW ON THE SECOND CHANCE 500.00 EVERY WEEK THAT STARR HILL HAS WON FOR TWO WEEK STRAIGHT. THAT DOES NOT SEEM FAIR TO EVERYONE ELSE,MAYBE SOMEONE CAN EXPLAIN IT TO ME.I NEED AND ANSWER.]\

1/29/2013 11:03 - aubrey m.

sratch-offs are fun to play,but overall the rolls of tickets have less winners than when the games started back a couple of years ago.

1/29/2013 09:55 - NC Lottery

@ GORAMS15 - There is no strategy to playing the lottery that can give one player an advantage over another. Instant scratch-off tickets in dispensers have no idea who will buy them, and lottery balls bouncing in a machine don't know who is playing them. All a matter of luck - which we wish you the very best of!

1/29/2013 09:45 - NC Lottery

@ HUBBY - Here's a way you could test your theory. Start an Excel Spreadsheet. Then, visit the Lucke Zone blog every day and make a note of every time you see someone make a statement about the chances of winning in X, Y, or Z. Then, visit our website every day and make a note of every time you see a big winner from that place, and how much time elapsed in between. You'll find that there's no connection. We dont expect you to take our word for anything, lottery drawings are held with auditors present, and the lottery's practices are reviewed on a regular basis. If you choose to play games of chance, we wish you the best of luck.

1/28/2013 11:23 - Lenora T.

I could be wrong but it appears that every time someone startsvsaying their hometown never wins there seems to out ofthe blue win. Is Lucke Zone making their way around to all of the towns or let me guess randomly making their way because no matter how many entries a person puts in it never seems to matter but somehow a town never heard of is put on the map so to speak. I feel you guys are doing this to say everyone has a chance when in fact some cities play a lot more than others. I finally saw a town that won more than once which was a shocker. Although there are plenty of ways for people to win the way things are done seem to be rigged but of course Lucke Zone will say everything is computer generated and stands by an honor system. Right...

1/28/2013 07:41 - Reneta M.

I think its really bad when we play so many years and the winnings are poor, their are people that can win daily, several times a week, that I just spoke with at retail stores. They are the ones that know how to play the lottery and win.

1/28/2013 01:14 - NC Lottery

@ PLAYER (C) - The $50,000 prize from the first Bonus Bucks drawing.. which was one by a ticket issued in Jacksonville.. has not been claimed. The rule for unclaimed lottery prizes in North Carolina is that half the money goes into the prize pool for future games that players can win, and the other half benefits education programs. For info on winners in the Hendersonville area, copy & paste this link into your web browser: http://bit.ly/XMNDDe

1/28/2013 12:32 - Christine R.

It's about time someone from Hendersonville nc won big! Play everything but not coming close. Just curious, were all the winning tickets in the second chance cash 5 bonus drawing claimed? If not what happens to the money? Another drawing? Someone should be awarded that money. That's fair.

1/28/2013 08:46 - CALVIN E.

I HAVE YET TO WIN ANYTHING SMALL OR LAGRE WHILE PLAYING THE LOTTERY. I HAVE ENTERED THE DRAWINGS IN THE LUCKE ZONE WEB SITE AND STILL NOTHING. MAY I NEED TO TAKE A BREAK.

1/28/2013 06:39 - raymond g.

I lived in NEW YORK all my life until I moved here and never won big there I moved here yrs back before the lottery so I played in VA. haven't won there either.been playing since day one guess no big winners but I always say nothing beats a failure but a try-----not giving up...

1/28/2013 01:22 - melissa w.

I'm just waiting on my big win.. you win some and you loose some.. your day will come when its time for you to win stay positive

1/27/2013 07:43 - NC Lottery

@ RUBE50 - Yadkinville might not be in the mountains, but its definitely close to the mountains of North Carolina. Besides, did you see our blog last week about two lucky players from Buncombe and Madison Counties? Just copy & paste this URL into your web browser: http://bit.ly/10hKl0W

1/27/2013 07:40 - NC Lottery

@ EARL22 - The lottery's advice to everyone is to play for fun, only with money set aside for entertainment. There's never a guarantee of winning, only a chance to win. So we wish you the very best, whether you choose to play or not :-)

1/27/2013 07:38 - NC Lottery

@ CATBEACHGIRL - All NCEL lottery drawings are held under the supervision of auditors. And our practices are audited on a regular basis. It takes luck to win no matter where you live or play! See your response to HARDRIC above.

1/27/2013 07:37 - NC Lottery

@ HARDRIDC - If you take a look at this blog, you'll see that Yadkinville is a very small town. Rocky Point is even smaller. Nobody has an advantage or disadvantage when it comes to winning a lottery prize. Places with larger populations have more stores and more players, but no individual player has a better chance of winning than anybody else. Good luck!

1/27/2013 05:04 - Clarence H.

Why small city like Roxboro NC never have big money winner....?????

1/27/2013 05:02 - Clarence H.

Why small city never have big money winner....?????

1/27/2013 04:25 - clayton c.

I have won $100,$45, and smaller amounts from the scratch tickets. But I spend alot more than I win.

1/27/2013 03:54 - Rosemary B.

IBSENK: that's exactly how players feel in/around Calabash! I play the EXACT #'s on Cash5, Powerball & Megamillions, and NOTHING! And scratchers aren't much better. I think the NC lottery needs to be audited......

1/27/2013 12:21 - m. earl b.

you will be better off buying scratch tickets. believe me a collected est. $1,532 on paper tickets last year between jan.-dec. i keep a record of how much i put into these games. believe me it wont be that much this year. i've only bought 4 paper tickets this month. no cash5 at all. tired of paying for somebody else.

1/26/2013 09:59 - Amy T.

burlington louisburgfayetteville charlotte rocky mount nothing even remotely close to the mountains of nc. that sucks. its every week.WHY???????????????????????????????

1/26/2013 12:25 - Bobby H.

I haven't won any money yet.Maybe I'll be lucky this year.

1/26/2013 11:36 - Kathy I.

I have been playing the same set of numbers daily for the Cash 5, MegaMillion and PowerBall. I haven't missed a day of playing since May 1, 2010. You would think in that period of time I would have won a prize more than $38 in over 2.5 years. Beginning to think I'd be better off buying scratch off tickets.

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Small-town player wins 'prize of a lifetime'

January 26, 2013 Posted by NC Lottery at 8:27 PM

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