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.

A truck driver stopped for a lottery ticket — and scored a life-changing prize in North Carolina. Melchor Aguilar, of South Carolina, was traveling for work when he bought a scratch-off ticket that was worth $5 million, the N.C. Education Lottery wrote in a Jan. 2 news release.

One lucky North Carolinian’s 2025 is off to an amazing start! A $2 Powerball ticket sold at the Friendly Mart on NC 24/47 West Bypass in Albermarle matched numbers on all five white balls in the New Year’s Day drawing to win $1 million.

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.

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,

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.