Players scratch and match for $20 million this week

A pair of players from Nash and Wake counties were this week's biggest winners, as a $20 ticket for the $120 Million Cash game turned into a $3 million prize. David Hopins of Middlesex and Danny Ray of Zebulon bought the lucky ticket at BJ's Grocery on Rolesville Road in Wendell.

But they weren't the only seven-figure lottery winners this week. Clarence Wright, a postman from Greensboro, said he'd use the $1 million he won playing Mega Millions to save for the future. He Quick Picked his way to the prize on the ticket he bought at the Spartan BP on South Aycock Street in Greensboro.

Keith McClintock of Durham is celebrating his second big win on his second lucky ticket from Tommy's Mini Mart on Cole Mill Road in Durham. In April 2012, the Durham man scratched his way to $150,000 on a $5 Aces High ticket. This time, his good fortune came on a $10 Holiday Gold ticket – to the tune of $1 million. “When I won, it was like ‘Oh my God – $1 million,’” recalled McClintock, who lives in the Orange County section of Durham. “It’s amazing.”

Ruth Alvarado, a home cleaner from Raleigh, plans to use the $150,000 prize she won playing Bonus Jackpot to purchase a home. Alvarado scratched off the lucky $5 ticket on Thursday morning at the La Jalisco store on Lee Avenue in Sanford. “I saw that I had won and I just started screaming and jumping up and down,” Alvarado said. “I’m so happy and excited.”

A Winston-Salem woman is the latest player to win $100,000 playing the lottery's $10 MONOPOLY game. Maudisteen Harvey purchased the lucky ticket at the Wilco on University Parkway in Winston-Salem.

A pair of $10,000 Powerball prizes won this week have yet to be claimed. A ticket for Wednesday's drawing was sold at the Quality mart on Clayton Forest Road in Kernersville. A ticket for the Saturday, Jan. 18 drawing was sold at the Circle B on South McPherson Church Road in Fayetteville.

Who else won big this week? These instant scratch-off players:

• Manuel Leal of Macclesfield, who won $15,000 playing Bonus Jackpot
• Jermaine Stewart of Lilesville, who won $15,000 playing Bonus Jackpot
  
• Lenora Carrington of Holly Springs, who won $10,000 playing $120 Million Cash
  
• Magaline Clark of Hillsborough, who won $10,000 playing $120 Million Cash
  
• Gary Crowe of Brevard, who won $10,000 playing $120 Million Cash
  
• Diane Emerson of Wilmington, who won $10,000 playing $5,000 a Week for Life!
  
• Ralph Havis of Greensboro, who won $10,000 playing $120 Million Cash
  
• Mac King of Leicester, who won $10,000 playing 50X The Cash
  
• Tara Mistretta of Wake Forest, who won $10,000 playing 5X The Cash
  
• Troy Rhinehart of Canton, who won $10,000 playing Maximum Green
  

In all, since Thursday, Jan. 16, players scratched off more than $16.9 million. Draw game players won another $3.1 million this week.

Last but not least, there are some big jackpots on the line this weekend. Heading into Friday night, the Carolina Cash 5 jackpot stands at $793,000 and the Mega Millions jackpot annuity is $62 million ($33.7 million cash). The Powerball jackpot, meanwhile, has grown to a $152 million annuity ($85.6 million cash).

Good luck to all and see you soon here in the Lucke-Zone.