A North Carolina lottery player started the new year off a winner after claiming a big jackpot prize, lottery officials said. Gary Thomas won $496,217 when he matched all five numbers in the Dec. 1 drawing of the Carolina Cash 5 game, the North Carolina Education Lottery said in a Jan. 3 news release.

The players bought Carolina Cash 5 game tickets that matched all the numbers picked in the drawings on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day, meaning each one was worth six figures, the N.C. Education Lottery wrote on its website and in an email to McClatchy News.

A new father won a top lottery game prize after spotting a scratch-off ticket that touted “Holiday Cash” and deciding to buy one, N.C. lottery officials said.

One lucky lottery player is starting the new year off with a bang after their ticket landed them a massive win. When someone wins the lottery, especially if it's a life-changing sum like $1 million or more,