NC lottery tickets bought 130 miles apart had same winning numbers. Who got the cash?

The odds of matching all five balls in the Carolina Cash 5 lottery are 1 in 962,598, which makes it all the more astounding two men did it at the same time, according to the North Carolina Education Lottery.

Chad Welch of Mooresville and Phillip Prince of Wagram live about 130 miles apart and both had $1 tickets that won the rolling jackpot of $649,128, lottery officials said.

So which one got the money?

Giving both men $649,128 is an option many would support, but lottery officials went with a frugal approach and split the prize down the middle.

Each man got $324,564, which came to $232,878 after state and federal withholdings, lottery officials said.

The drawing was held Oct. 6, and Prince quickly picked up his share on Tuesday, Oct. 8.

Welch waited four months, showing up on Feb. 27, the lottery said. The reason for why he waited was not revealed, but drawing winners have up to 180 days to claim prizes. (Scratch-off game prizes have just 90 calendar days to be claimed.)

Welch purchased his ticket online and went with the Quick Pick, which lets a terminal choose the numbers.

Prince bought his ticket at the Stop N Go on Caledonia Road in Laurinburg, officials said.

This story was originally published February 28, 2025 at 6:43 AM with the headline "NC lottery tickets bought 130 miles apart had same winning numbers. Who got the cash?."