Dozens of big wins, one story sweeping the nation

It was the water cooler story of the week. To prove to her husband that big-time luck isn't likely, a woman bought some Carolina Millions tickets. And she scratched off $1 million. “I had to eat my words,” Glenda Blackwell said. “But those are pretty good words to eat.”

Blackwell is from Leicester, a small town near Asheville. After claiming her prize money in Raleigh, the story spread across the state - and then went nationwide. CNN, People and Good Morning America are among the news and entertainment sources that covered the remarkable $1 million win.

There were great stories behind other major wins this week. We'll start with two men with decades of military service who won six-figure prizes.

After 25 years in the Army, Rufus Jones thought he’d seen everything. But in all those years of service he never had an experience like winning the lottery. After visiting his brother in Raleigh, Jones was heading home to Kenly in Johnston County. On his way he bought a $400,000 Bonus Cash ticket and was amazed to win the game's top prize. “I just thought, ‘Is this for real?’” Jones said. “This can’t be for real.”

John Williams, who plans to call it a career in March after 24 years in the Army, scratched off a sterling early retirement gift. Williams was on his way home to Raeford from Fort Bragg when he bought a $200,000 Triple Play ticket. After seeing that he won the top prize, he texted his wife, Debra, a picture of the ticket. “I hollered,” she recalled as the couple collected their winnings on Wednesday.

Williams was not the first this week to claim a top prize for the $200,000 Triple Play game. On Monday, Mary Futrell collected her prize money. She is from the small coastal town of Holly Ridge which is near Jacksonville.

Another $200,000 winner this week is Pamela Fox, who lives just north of Greensboro in Summerfield. She won playing the Fat Wallet game. Two top prizes are still out there.

Some lottery players keep their winning tickets in a safe place, but after Cindy McCullom of Morehead City won $100,000 playing 10th Anniversary Millions, she wouldn’t let her scratch-off ticket out of her sight. “I put it in a little bag and took it with me everywhere I went,” McCullom said. Monday she brought the ticket to lottery headquarters to cash it in.

Three players came forward to claim their Cash 5 jackpot winnings:

- Cassandra Covington of Raleigh: $155,309 (Oct. 25 draw)
- Wiley Melton of Kelford: $50,000 (Oct. 20 draw)
- Geraldine Harris of Smithfield: $50,000 (Oct. 19 draw)

Ten players scratched off $10,000 instant prizes:

- Maude Clayton of Henderson (Loteria)
- Guthrie Daniel of Creedmoor (Millionaire 7's)
- Thomas Farmer of Cary ($1,000,000 Bonus Cash)
- Noelle Horne of Oxford ($200 Million Blowout)
- Willie Jackson of Aberdeen (Ruby Red 7's)
- Worth McCloud of Winston-Salem (Ruby Red 7's)
- Valente Pena of Macon (Ruby Red 7's)
- James Phillips of Harrisburg ($4,000,000 Platinum Payout)
- Harry Roberts of Fayetteville ($2,500 a Week for Life)
- Frank Skiner of Franklin ($200,000 Million Blowout)

Shelby Sweat of Lumberton won the top prize of $7,000 on a $1 Lucky 7's ticket. There are 16 more in the game.

Nineteen prizes of $5,000 were won. Two of the winners are from Raleigh. The other 17 are from: Arden, Asheville, Burlington, Clinton, Goldsboro, Hamlet, Kenly, King, Lillington, Magnolia, Mooresville, Mount Airy, Rocky Point, Roxboro, Sanford, Troutman, and Winterville.

In all, 39 prizes of $5,000 to $1 million were awarded this week. We hope you enjoy the winners' stories as much as we did.

Until next time, have a fun and safe weekend.