Another week…another winner!

Published 8:46 am Tuesday, March 31, 2015

WINDSOR – A run of luck continues for Roanoke-Chowan area citizens playing scratch-off games through the North Carolina Education Lottery.

Last week, Oges Lemond of Windsor was delighted to discover that the $120 Million Cash instant scratch-off game card she purchased made her a $100,000 winner.

Lemond said she in Rocky Mount and purchased the lucky $20 ticket at Kangaroo Express on South Wesleyan Boulevard.

After state and federal taxes were withheld, Lemond received a check for $69,256. For prizes greater than $5,000, 25 percent federal tax and 5.75 percent state tax are automatically withheld.

The $120 Million Cash game, which went on sale in October of 2013, features several cash values, including four top prizes of $3 million; 10 prizes ranging from $1 million to $3 million; and thousands of prizes between $100 to $100,000.

As of March 27, one $3 million top prize, one $1 million prize and one $100,000 prize remains to be claimed in the game.

The string of lucky Lottery winners from the local area is traced to Johnny Daughtry of Ahoskie.

In the week before Christmas 2014, Daughtry won the $500 a Week for Life! game on a card he purchased from Trade Wilco on Academy Street. That game’s top prize guarantees winners $26,000 annually for the rest of their lives or a lump sum cash prize, worth $354,000. Daughtry chose the lump sum, and received a check for $244,968 after state and federal taxes were withheld.

Then, on March 20, Daughtry purchased a $200 Million Blowout game card from the Duck Thru Food Store on Memorial Drive. He won again, this time for a whole lot more money as the card was worth $1 million. The $1 million prize comes as either an annuity of $50,000 a year for 20 years or a lump sum of $600,000. Daughtry chose the lump sum and received, after tax withholdings, a check for $415,506.

Also last week, a Fredericksburg, VA woman traveling through the local area won the top prize ($750,000) in the Jumbo Bucks instant scratch-off game.  She purchased the lucky $10 ticket at New Dixie Mart on U.S. 17 in Williamston.

After state and federal taxes were withheld, Rinderknecht received a check for $519,378.

Ticket sales have made it possible for the lottery to raise more than $3.6 billion for the state. North Carolina Education Lottery net proceeds will be used this year to help pay salaries of teachers and teacher assistants, for pre-kindergarten programs for at-risk four-year-olds, school construction and repair, and need-based college scholarships and financial aid.

For details on how more than $9.2 million in lottery funds have made a difference in Hertford County, and $8.3 million in Bertie County, click on the “Where the Money Goes” tab on the lottery’s website.

About Cal Bryant

Cal Bryant, a 40-year veteran of the newspaper industry, serves as the Editor at Roanoke-Chowan Publications, publishers of the Roanoke-Chowan News-Herald, Gates County Index, and Front Porch Living magazine.

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