Sara Brewer of Hillsborough turned a $1 Carolina Cash 5 ticket she bought online into a $215,051 jackpot, then headed to Raleigh to collect her winnings at the state lottery offices. After federal and state tax withholdings, lottery officials said Brewer walked away with $156,109. She beat odds of roughly 1 in 962,598 to match all five numbers in the Cash 5 drawing.
According to CBS17, Brewer matched all five numbers in the March 31 drawing and completed her claim at the NC Education Lottery headquarters in Raleigh. Results pages also list the March 31 Cash 5 top prize at $215,051 and the game's match-all odds at roughly 1 in 962,598, per LotteryPost.
How winners claim big prizes
State rules require any prize of $100,000 or more to be claimed in person at the NC Education Lottery Raleigh claim center. There, winners sign forms, verify identification and are advised about tax withholdings before they see a check or transfer. The lottery’s guidance notes that Online Play winners are expected to start the claim process online, then finish it in person to finalize payment.
What winners often do next
Past Cash 5 winners in North Carolina have funneled their payouts into everything from retirement plans to roof repairs and college savings. For example, ABC11 reported on a Fayetteville couple who used Online Play to win nearly $500,000 and said they planned to bolster retirement savings and renovate their home. Brewer has not publicly said how she plans to use her prize, CBS17 noted.
Brewer’s claim followed the standard NC Education Lottery process for big winners. Depending on her choice, the lottery’s procedures allow payment by traditional check or by electronic funds transfer. Officials also remind players to check their tickets and accounts promptly, since draw-game prizes generally must be claimed within 180 days of the winning drawing.
