Thirst leads to big lottery win for North Carolina man who’s ‘not far from retirement’
A North Carolina man changed his mind while playing the lottery — and it paid off big time.
Donald Spivey said he was stopping for a drink when he spent $5 on a scratch-off ticket that was worth much more.
“I’m not far from retirement so that will be a nice bump,” Spivey told the N.C. Education Lottery after scoring a six-figure prize.
Spivey hit the jackpot after his thirst led him to the Minuteman Food Mart in Tabor City, roughly 140 miles south of Raleigh. While getting a bottle of water at the store, officials said he originally hoped to buy a lottery ticket that could win him up to $150,000.
But instead, Spivey’s instinct drew him to a ticket for the Mega Bucks scratch-off game, the lottery wrote June 19 in a news release.
“When I saw the $200,000 top prize, I changed my mind and got that one,” he said in the release.
It turns out, Spivey won the top prize in the Mega Bucks game and kept $142,501 after taxes. Spivey, a Columbus County resident, said he plans to save for retirement and have the rest of his winnings on hand “for a rainy day.”
It’s not the first time thirst has led someone to a jackpot prize. In recent years, North Carolina lottery players have snagged lucky tickets while getting water, Dr Pepper and other drinks, McClatchy News reported.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREWhen gambling is more than a game
Gambling is designed to be a source of entertainment.
If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.
This story was originally published June 20, 2023 at 7:38 AM with the headline "Thirst leads to big lottery win for North Carolina man who’s ‘not far from retirement’."
