For one Aberdeen man, a quick stop at a Southern Pines gas station turned into a six-figure payday. Jaquell Kelly matched all five numbers on a $1 Cash 5 ticket and snagged the $130,000 jackpot. He bought the lucky ticket at the Circle K on U.S. 15-501 South in Southern Pines, then headed to Raleigh to claim his prize at North Carolina Education Lottery headquarters. After required federal and state tax withholdings, Kelly walked away with $93,613 in hand.
Ticket, claim and payout
According to the Sandhills Sentinel, Kelly picked up the $1 Cash 5 ticket at the Circle K on U.S. 15-501 South and later claimed the full $130,000 jackpot on Thursday at NC Lottery headquarters in Raleigh. The outlet reported that after federal and state tax withholdings, his take-home total came to $93,613.
How Cash 5 works
Cash 5 is a nightly $1 draw game, and matching all five numbers lands the advertised jackpot. Per the NC Education Lottery, the odds of matching all five balls are about 1 in 962,598. Tickets can be bought at retail locations across the state or through the lottery's website and official mobile app. For prizes of $100,000 or more, winners must show up in person at lottery headquarters in Raleigh, as outlined in the lottery's prize-claim information.
Local payoff
Those Cash 5 tickets do more than create happy winners. They also send money into local education programs. The Sandhills Sentinel reports that Moore County received about $5.2 million in lottery funds last year, money that helps pay for capital projects, pre-K programs and scholarships in the area. Kelly's win is another reminder that small nightly wagers can bring a windfall for both residents and local classrooms.
According to the report, Kelly did not immediately share any plans for his winnings, but his jackpot claim will be logged in the lottery's public winners list. For everyone else still chasing their own lucky ticket, the NC Education Lottery advises players to keep tickets secure and check the winning numbers promptly after each drawing.
