Family-gifted North Carolina scratch-off wins $100,000 top prize

A $30 scratch-off ticket given to a North Carolina player by her father and uncle became a $100,000 top-prize win, turning a family gift into money the winner plans to direct toward relatives, a steak dinner and law school.

The winning ticket came from the 100,000 Cash Payday game. The player is from New Bern in Craven County, where the prize claim was tied to a ticket purchased in nearby Edward.

The ticket was bought at Highway 33 Convenience Mart on N.C. 33 East. The store was the point of purchase for the scratch-off that later produced the game's top prize.

The player received the ticket after her father and uncle bought several scratch-offs. Their decision to give her one of the tickets made them part of the chain of events leading to the win, even though they did not know that particular ticket carried the $100,000 prize.

The top prize had odds of 1 in 76,752. That prize level was the winning combination on the $30 ticket given to the New Bern player.

After checking the ticket, the player sought confirmation from her fiancé that it was a winner. That confirmation preceded the formal prize claim at North Carolina Education Lottery headquarters.

The claim was completed on Friday, September 18, 2026. The prize amount was $100,000 before state and federal tax withholdings.

After those withholdings, the player received $72,018. The amount represents the payment she took from the claimed prize after the deductions identified by the North Carolina Education Lottery.

Some of the money is intended for the relatives who gave her the ticket. The player plans to take her father and uncle out for a steak dinner, giving the family gift a direct connection to how she intends to use part of the winnings.

Her plans also include helping care for her mother. She intends to use another portion of the money for law school, adding an education goal to the family priorities attached to the prize.

The 100,000 Cash Payday game launched in March with 80 prizes worth $100,000. At the time of the lottery update, 54 of those top prizes remained unclaimed.

Readers seeking the latest numbers and game information can consult the latest North Carolina lottery results page. The page provides a place to check current North Carolina lottery results rather than relying on the prize inventory stated in this account.

The win also connects the scratch-off game to a Craven County school project. Lottery proceeds are funding a $15.2 million grant for construction of the new Freedom Middle School in the county.

For the winner, the claimed prize now has several defined purposes: recognizing the father and uncle who passed along the ticket, helping with her mother's care and supporting a path toward law school. The ticket's route from a purchase at Highway 33 Convenience Mart to a prize claim at lottery headquarters made the family gift the starting point for all three plans.