Alphonzo Oates of Raleigh plans to give his daughter the Christmas gift of graduating college debt-free after he accidentally won a $177,749 jackpot playing a digital instant game.
“I thought I was playing in demo mode,” he laughed. “It surprised the heck out of me.”
Oates played a $1 ticket on Oct. 31 and won the top level ‘Epic jackpot’ in the Wheel of Bonuses game, a digital instant game featuring a progressive jackpot that can be won at any time. The odds of that win are 1 in 31 million.
“I can use this to pay off my daughter’s last year of college,” he said. “That will be her Christmas gift.”
Oates said he likes playing the Wheel of Bonuses game when he has some free time.
“It’s just a fun way to pass the time,” Oates said.
He claimed his prize Friday at lottery headquarters and, after required federal and state tax withholdings, took home $127,092.
“I’m glad that my daughter will be able to graduate debt-free,” Oates said. “It’s a happy moment.”
In the Wheel of Bonuses digital instant game, a player can play from 50 cents to $30. After Oates won the jackpot, it restarted at $50,000 and has grown to over $197,000 as of Friday afternoon.
Digital instant games are played exclusively online on the lottery’s website or on the NC Lottery Official Mobile App. Thirty-three different games are available to play online now.
Play Smart, Gift Smart is the N.C. Education Lottery's annual campaign highlighting the risks of youth gambling. The campaign raises awareness that popular holiday scratch-offs should only be gifted to adults. In this year’s campaign, North Carolinians can donate school supplies at a lottery claim center, support a good cause, and get a chance to win a prize. Visit NCEL Play Smart for more information.
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