RALEIGH, N.C. — A Charlotte man, Bruce Tipton, said he had to take time to calm himself down after his $5 scratch-off won him $200,000.
“I was honestly too scared to drive,” Tipton said. “It took a while before I could stop shaking.”
Tipton, a 41-year-old construction worker, became the first winner of the top prize in the new $5 Carolina Jackpot game. The $5 Carolina Jackpot game released six $200,000 prizes, five of them still unclaimed.
“When I saw a lot of zeroes on there,” Tipton said, “I knew I won something big.”
He bought his winning lottery ticket from the Circle K on Freedom Drive in Charlotte.
Tipton collected his prize from lottery headquarters and, after required state and federal tax withholdings, took home $142,021.
He said he would likely use his winnings to help his family members and possibly buy a house he could fix up.
The game includes a new second-chance opportunity for those who buy Carolina Jackpot lottery tickets. Any of the tickets can be entered into drawings that feature a rolling jackpot that gets bigger the more tickets are entered.
The ticket sales help to raise more than $900 million per year for education.
Flashpoint is a weekly in-depth look at politics in Charlotte, North Carolina, South Carolina, and beyond with host Ben Thompson. Listen to the podcast weekly.
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Stitcher || Google Podcasts
Locked On is the leading podcast network for local sports and is owned by WCNC Charlotte's parent company TEGNA.
Listen to Locked On here.
Wake Up Charlotte To Go is a daily news and weather podcast you can listen to so you can start your day with the team at Wake Up Charlotte.
SUBSCRIBE: Apple Podcasts || Spotify || Stitcher || TuneIn || Google Podcasts
All of WCNC Charlotte's podcasts are free and available for both streaming and download. You can listen now on Android, iPhone, Amazon, and other internet-connected devices. Join us from North Carolina, South Carolina, or on the go anywhere.
