‘Lifetime’ prize largest of five awarded this week

From $1 million to $1,000 a Week for Life!, N.C. Education Lottery players won more than $20.5 million in total prizes this week.

A nurse from Monroe named Loretha Johnson is one of those special lottery winners who shares amazing plans for the prize money. After winning the top prize playing the $1,000 a Week for Life! game, she plans to use some of her winnings to share with patients she cares for. “I have a lot of patients that have never known what it feels like to be pampered,” Johnson said. “I’m going to get them manicures and pedicures and get their hair done by a professional. I’m very happy that I’m going to be able to do this for them because they are so deserving.”

In another small town less than 20 miles away, a Mint Hill man won $1 million instantly playing the Ruby Red 7's game. “I’m a very rare ticket buyer,” Michael Powe explained. “I’m conservative. I had $10 left over after I filled up the gas tank.” His plans for the prize money included giving to worthy causes and traveling to go on a hunting expedition in Alaska or somewhere in Africa.

Clear across the state from Johnson and Powe, a pair of Duplin County stores just 16 miles apart sold jackpot-winning tickets for the Feb. 7 Carolina Cash 5 drawing. The winners, Jo Ann Jarman of Wallace and Larry Barksdale of Faison, split the $422,282 jackpot to win $211,141 each.

“There’s nothing you can do to prepare yourself for that moment when you realize you’ve won big.” That's what Harold Edwards of Lincolnton had to say after winning $150,000 instantly playing the 10X the Money game. As of Friday afternoon, three top prizes of $150,000 and many other prizes remain unclaimed in the game.

More lucky players won big prizes playing the lottery this week. Some of them are:

• Lin Dickens of Scotland Neck, who won $40,000 playing Powerball
• Jean Castle of Hertford, who won $85,377 playing Carolina Cash 5
• Patti Cooke of Polkville, who won $10,000 playing 20X the Money
• Nancy Counts of Wilmington, who won $10,000 playing $200,000 a Year for Life
• Joe Cross of High Point, who won $10,000 playing $200,000 a Year for Life
• Angela Dye of Lowell, who won $10,000 playing Holiday Millions
• Clifton Gibson of Roanoke Rapids, who won $10,000 playing Jumbo Bucks
  

As always, thanks for playing and thanks for spending time with us here in the Lucke-Zone. We wish everyone luck and hope you have a great weekend.