Mom screams ‘all the way to work’ after huge NC lottery win. Now she can retire early
Audrey Woodard is very particular when picking numbers for her North Carolina lottery tickets.
“I play my birthday, my son’s birthday and his football jersey number,” Woodard told officials, according to a May 22 North Carolina Education Lottery news release.
The 61-year-old’s choice paid off recently when a $2 Lucky for Life ticket landed her $25,000 a year for life, officials said.
“I was so excited I was driving in my car and screaming all the way to work,” Woodard said.
Woodard opted to collect her prize as a lump sum, according to lottery officials. After taxes, she took home $277,891.
Now, she plans to retire from her job as a production operator early instead of next year, she told officials.
“I’m still just trying to soak it all in,” Woodard said. “I told my family and they were ecstatic just like I was.”
Woodard said she will also give some of her prize to her family, pay off her car and make some investments.
Rocky Mount is about 60 miles northeast of Raleigh.
This story was originally published May 22, 2023 at 1:44 PM with the headline "Mom screams ‘all the way to work’ after huge NC lottery win. Now she can retire early."
