‘Lucky mistake’ leads to historic jackpot win in NC. ‘How did this just happen?’
A lottery player made a “lucky mistake” — and it led to a historic jackpot win in North Carolina.
Cynthia Harris said she was exploring an online lottery game when she accidentally scored a six-figure prize.
“I thought I was playing on demo mode,” Harris, who lives just west of Raleigh in the town of Cary, told the N.C. Education Lottery.
But Harris’ $736,874 win was the real deal. And it turns out, her prize marks the “largest digital instant win since the lottery began offering digital instant games in November,” lottery officials wrote in a May 14 news release.
“I was like, ‘Wait how did this just happen,” Harris said. “It still hasn’t set in yet.”
Harris basked in the “life-changing” win after spending $2 on a ticket for the Bison Bonanza game. She beat 1-in-15.5 million odds to score the progressive jackpot game’s top prize.
“I am a blessed person,” Harris said.
Harris, who kept $526,866 after taxes, said hopes use her prize money to care for her mom.
It’s not the first time a “lucky mistake” has paid off. In Virginia, a lottery player accidentally hit a button, leaving her with a winning Powerball ticket, McClatchy News reported in April.
Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.
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.
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