Wife thought husband was ‘messing with her’ over lottery win. But NC prize was real
A North Carolina man has a weekly routine of playing the lottery — and it paid off big time.
But when Johnny Carlyle picked up the phone to tell his wife that he won, he said she was a bit skeptical.
“She got excited and thought I was messing with her head,” Carlyle told the N.C. Education Lottery in a June 6 news release.
It turns out, Carlyle’s win was the real deal. And now, his $100,000 prize means he can put money toward a new truck.
“I’ve had my old one for over 20 years,” Carlyle told lottery officials. “I’ll get a GMC or Chevy — whichever is a better deal.”
Carlyle hit the jackpot after he stopped at a Speedway gas station in Carthage, roughly 60 miles southwest of Raleigh. While there, he spent $1 on a ticket for the Cash 5 game, according to officials.
Then on his way to work one day, Carlyle said he went to a store to check how his ticket fared in the June 3 drawing. He asked a cashier to help him before realizing he was getting richer.
“I thought something was wrong with the machine,” Carlyle said in the release. “She handed me the winning numbers, and all five matched.”
Carlyle, a delivery driver from Moore County, kept $71,250 after taxes.
It’s not the first time a $1 lottery ticket led to a big prize in North Carolina. Recently, a lucky ticket that a grandfather bought for a buck left him in disbelief, McClatchy News reported.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREWhen gambling is more than a game
Gambling is designed to be a source of entertainment.
If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.
This story was originally published June 7, 2023 at 10:03 AM with the headline "Wife thought husband was ‘messing with her’ over lottery win. But NC prize was real."
