Richmond County resident Everett Cooper says he "had that feeling" when he scratched a $10 Cashword King ticket and revealed a $1,000,000 top prize. He bought the lucky ticket at CAPL Retail on South Main Street in Laurinburg, then made the trip to Raleigh to claim what instantly became a life-changing win.
According to Queen City News, lottery officials gave Cooper a choice between an annuity of $50,000 a year for 20 years or a one-time cash option of $600,000. He went with the lump-sum route and, after required tax withholdings, took home about $432,063. Cooper told officials he plans to put the money toward helping family members and supporting his church.
About the Cashword King scratch-off
The North Carolina Education Lottery lists Cashword King as a $10 instant ticket that launched in August, with multiple $1,000,000 top prizes available when it first went on sale. Independent trackers and the lottery's own game page show that prize inventory has been shrinking over time, and ScratchCheck puts the ticket's overall odds at roughly 1 in 3.57.
Where the ticket was sold and claimed
Lottery records show Cooper bought the winning ticket at CAPL Retail on South Main Street in Laurinburg, then headed to lottery headquarters in Raleigh to officially claim the prize, per Queen City News. He described the win as a blessing and repeated that his focus is on using the money for his family and his church community.
What winners should know
Instant-ticket top prizes are advertised as the headline amount, but many games offer a smaller cash option alongside an annuity, and the actual up-front payment is reduced further by tax withholdings. The lottery's public winners gallery and game tracker let players verify recent claims and check how many top prizes are still in play. For the latest inventory, see the North Carolina Education Lottery.
For Laurinburg and nearby Richmond County, Cooper's windfall is the kind of story that gets people talking, a $10 scratch-off that turned into a seven-figure blessing. Anyone who thinks they might be holding a major winner is urged to check the game's official page or contact the North Carolina Education Lottery for claim instructions and next steps.
