Lottery player wins jackpot while driving through North Carolina. ‘Pretty cool’
An Alabama man struck luck on his drive through North Carolina — winning a big lottery jackpot, according to lottery officials.
Jonathan Hodge, a truck driver from Luverne, matched all five numbers in the May 8 Cash 5 drawing to win a jackpot worth $120,000, the North Carolina Education Lottery said in a May 16 news release.
“It was pretty cool,” Hodge told lottery officials. “I’ve always said, ‘When it’s my time, then it’s my time.’”
Hodge bought his ticket online and used the Quick Pick option, according to lottery officials.
He said he was in disbelief and had to read the ticket multiple times to verify the win. Now, Hodge plans to use the prize for a down payment on a house, according to lottery officials.
“I’ll have a nice little cushion,” he said.
The odds of matching all five numbers for the jackpot are 1 in 962,598, lottery officials said.
Cash 5 drawings happen daily, and the game costs $1 to play, according to the game’s web page. The estimated jackpot as of May 18 is $130,000, lottery officials said.
This story was originally published May 18, 2025 at 9:24 AM with the headline "Lottery player wins jackpot while driving through North Carolina. ‘Pretty cool’."
