Wayne County woman to buy first home with $200,000 prize

Intuition led Nicole Nelms of Goldsboro to a $200,000 Double Cash Doubler top prize and the opportunity to purchase her first home.

“It was a blessing,” she said. “I cried for three days.”

Nelms initially stopped at the Speedway on East New Hope Road in Goldsboro to play her Pick 3 numbers.

“I was standing in line waiting and something in my gut was telling me to go get two of the new $5 tickets,” she recalled. “So, I went outside and scratched the first ticket and the first ticket was the winner. When I scratched it off, I saw three 0’s and I said, ‘Oh, you have to be kidding me!’”

She claimed her prize Wednesday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh and took home $141,501 after required federal and state tax withholdings.

“Growing up, I was bouncing house to house, so I want to get my own,” said Nelms. “I want to know what it feels like to buy my own house.”

Double Cash Doubler launched this month with six top prizes of $200,000. Four remain to be won.