Billy Ramsey of Sunset Beach decided to buy a $3 Powerball ticket because of the high jackpot last week and won a $100,000 prize.
“You can’t win it if you’re not in it,” he said.
Ramsey said he couldn’t believe it when he checked his ticket after the drawing.
“I’ve never won anything before,” he said. “It was very exciting.”
Ramsey bought his lucky Quick Pick ticket for the Dec. 22 drawing from RM Mart on Seaside Road Southwest in Sunset Beach. He matched the numbers on four white balls and the red Powerball to win $50,000. Because he bought a Power Play ticket, his prize doubled to $100,000 when the 2X multiplier hit.
“I probably checked four or five times to make sure I was looking at it right,” he recalled. “It was a very good surprise.”
Ramsey arrived Tuesday to claim his winnings and, after required federal and state tax withholdings, took home $71,751.
He plans to put his winnings toward his retirement.
Wednesday’s Powerball jackpot stands at a $45 million annuity or $20.7 million in cash. The odds of winning a Powerball jackpot are 1 in 292 million.
Powerball is one of six draw games in North Carolina where players have the option of buying their tickets at a retail location or with Online Play through the lottery’s website or the NC Lottery Official Mobile App.
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