RALEIGH - Gilbert Proctor of Elm City can look forward to getting a check every year from the lottery for the rest of his life! Proctor is the first winner to claim the top prize on the instant scratch-off ticket “Lifetime Riches”—$50,000 a year for life!
Proctor bought his winning ticket at EP Mart #16 on Benvenue Road in Rocky Mount. He says he had stopped there because he was thirsty and wanted to get a drink.
“Something told me to buy some tickets,” Proctor said when telling the story of his win. After realizing he’d won the top prize, he says he got down on his knees and gave thanks. Proctor says he will keep working but will spend some of the money on his favorite hobbies—fishing and hunting.
The “Lifetime Riches” ticket was introduced Feb. 24, 2009, and has the largest instant game prize to date. The ticket has five more top prizes remaining of $50,000 a year for life* with a minimum of 20 years guaranteed. The ticket costs $10 and has more than $55 million in total cash prizes.
Samer Suleiman of Kinston was all smiles when he claimed his $200,000 prize yesterday at the North Carolina Education Lottery (NCEL) headquarters in Raleigh. Suleiman won the top prize on the “$200,000 Jackpot” instant scratch-off ticket, which he bought at Rightway #1 on North Heritage Street in Kinston.
Suleiman says he was going to buy only one ticket, but saw that there were only four tickets left on the roll, so he decided to just buy all four. He says he was stunned when one of the tickets revealed itself to be the top prize winner. He added that there was “no better time” for him to win—he just started a new business and has a baby on the way. Suleiman plans to use his winnings to fix up his business and possibly take a vacation.
A Nash County woman has been named a finalist for the “$130 Million Blockbuster” $50,000 a year for life grand prize bonus drawing. Melany Pipkin of Whitakers entered two “Drawing Entry” tickets into the March 10 preliminary drawing and says she was in shock when NCEL Executive Director Tom Shaheen called to tell her the good news.
“I didn’t believe it,” Pipkin said. “I thought it was a scam.” Shaheen encouraged her to call the lottery headquarters main number and ask for him so she would know it was really him calling.
Pipkin’s entry was one of two drawn from more than 204,000 entries. She received $1,500 for being named a finalist and now will be entered into the bonus grand prize drawing for a chance to win $50,000 a year for life with a minimum of 20 years guaranteed! In addition, she will not only have a chance at the grand prize, but the final bonus grand prize drawing will also include prizes for the ten finalists of $1,000 up to $25,000.
Another lucky player’s ticket was also drawn during the March 10 preliminary drawing, but the validation process continues to be underway. The name of the winner will be released once that process is completed.
“$130 Million Blockbuster” is a $10 instant scratch-off ticket. The game provides an added feature for players who scratch and reveal a “DRAWING” symbol —only those tickets can be entered into one of five preliminary drawings. Two entries will be drawn from each preliminary drawing. The next drawing will be held May 19 (entry deadline May 12).
In the Wednesday, March 11 “Carolina Cash 5” drawing, one ticket matched all five numbers drawn to win the top prize of $346,115. The ticket was sold at Easy Shop II on East W.T. Harris Boulevard in Charlotte. It has yet to be claimed.
In the Wednesday, March 11 Powerball drawing, two North Carolina tickets matched four out of five white balls plus the Powerball and are worth $10,000 each. The tickets were sold at Harrisburg Gas Station Citgo on Highway 49 South in Harrisburg and at Market Express on Weddington-Monroe in Matthews.
A total of 34,233 North Carolina Powerball players won prizes in last night’s drawing, ranging from $10,000 down to $3 for a total payout in prizes worth $390,738. No one matched all five white balls plus the Powerball, so the jackpot for the Saturday, March 14 Powerball drawing is an estimated $44 million.
The NCEL has paid out more than $7.2 million total in instant scratch-off ticket prizes since Monday, March 9. Also since Monday, “Carolina Cash 5” players have won more than $498,000 and “Carolina Pick 3” players have won more than $1 million in prizes.
