A stop for gas turned into a life-changing moment for Natalie Vega of Asheboro when a $5 scratch-off won her a $200,000 top prize.
“It felt so unreal,” she recalled. “It’s just overwhelming.”
Vega bought her lucky Prize Link Multiplier ticket from Zingo Express on North Main Street in Archdale.
“That was my first time buying that ticket,” Vega said. “I like to just pick random ones.”
She said this prize represented by far her biggest win ever.
“I’ve only ever won a couple dollars,” she laughed. “I think $20 is the biggest before this.”
Vega admitted it took some time to process the big win.
“I had to read the instructions on the ticket like 10 times,” she said, “just to make sure I was looking at it right.”
Vega arrived at lottery headquarters Wednesday to claim her prize and, after required state and federal tax withholdings, took home $143,501.
She plans to use her winnings to buy some land and invest.
The Prize Link Multiplier game debuted in April with five $200,000 top prizes. Three $200,000 prizes remain to be claimed.
Randolph County received over $29 million from money raised by the lottery to build a new middle school. For details on other ways the lottery helps benefit education programs in Randolph County, visit www.nclottery.com and click on the “Impact” section.
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