While walking her dog, Penny Lamb of Greensboro bought six Cash 5 tickets and won a $599,133 jackpot.
“It took a few days to sink in,” said Lamb. “It’s giving us a head start going into the new year.”
Her good luck started a few hours before the Dec. 20 drawing while Lamb was taking her dog, Denali, on a walk. She remembered she had not bought any tickets and used Online Play in the lottery app on her phone to get her tickets before the deadline. The next day, during her morning routine, she received the news she had won.
“I noticed the email was different,” said Lamb. “It said ‘claim your prize’. I was so nervous!”
She called her boyfriend and waited for him to get home.
“I saw how much I won,” said Lamb. “I was in tears.”
She arrived at lottery headquarters Friday to collect her prize and, after required state and federal tax withholdings, took home $425,445.
Lamb plans to use her winnings to help friends and family, donate to pet shelters, and add to her savings.
Cash 5 is one of four lottery games in North Carolina where players have the option of buying their tickets at a retail location or Online Play, either through the lottery’s website or with the NC Lottery Official Mobile App. Cash 5 tickets are $1 and drawings are held every night. Friday’s jackpot is $416,000.
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