RALEIGH - Donald Keaton of Franklin says he was so excited about winning $100,000 on the “Platinum Payout” instant scratch-off game that he couldn’t eat breakfast the morning he claimed his prize. Keaton and his wife drove to Raleigh last Thursday and claimed their prize at the North Carolina Education Lottery (NCEL) headquarters first thing Friday morning when the Claim Center opened. All prizes of $100,000 or greater must be claimed at NCEL headquarters.

Keaton says he will use the money to pay bills and take his family on a vacation to Daytona, Florida. He purchased his winning ticket at N&N Express Mart on East Main Street in Franklin.

One ticket in the July 25 “Carolina Cash 5” drawing matched all five white balls to win the $72,335 top prize. The ticket was sold at Short Stop #20 on South Front Street in Pink Hill.

In the Saturday, July 26, Powerball drawing, one ticket matched four out of five white balls plus the Powerball and is worth $10,000. This ticket was sold at Atwood’s Country Corner on Old Thomasville Road in Winston-Salem.

A total of 44,857 North Carolina Powerball players won prizes in the Saturday Powerball drawing, ranging from $10,000 down to $3 for a total payout in prizes worth $401,364. No one matched all five white balls and the Powerball, so the jackpot for the Wednesday, July 30, drawing is an estimated $75 million.

The NCEL has paid out more than $3.8 million total in instant scratch-off ticket prizes since Thursday, July 24. Also since Thursday, “Carolina Cash 5” players have won more than $189,000 and “Carolina Pick 3” players have won more than $1 million in prizes.