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North Carolina Woman Wins Big Lottery Prize Thanks To Her Impatience

Author Phil Harris
Debra Ross scored big with a North Carolina Education Lottery scratch-off ticket she bought in Charlotte on Friday, April 7, 2023. (Photo: G. Knight/BBGI)

You can’t always wait around for good things to happen to you. One North Carolina woman learned that lesson this month when she was trying to buy a lottery ticket on Good Friday (4/7).

According to the North Carolina Education Lottery, Debra Ross went to a Publix supermarket in Charlotte to buy a scratch-off ticket, but the customer in front of her at the service counter was taking a long time. So Ross decided to buy a ticket from the lottery vending machine instead.

This time impatience was a virtue. The 61-year-old network engineer was shocked when the $25 Spectacular Riches ticket she bought turned out to be a $100-thousand winner. About the timing of her lucky purchase, she said, “That was a good Friday on Good Friday.”

Ross collected her prize at North Carolina Education Lottery headquarters earlier this week. After all the taxes, she took home over $71-thousand, and said, “I am very, very happy. Happy and smiling.” She plans on using her winnings to pay some bills and put the rest in savings.

Phil Harris is 50% of "Phil & Mel in the Afternoon" on K104.7. He has been with the station since 2013 and on the air in Charlotte since 2000. Before coming to the Queen City, Phil worked for radio stations in Pittsburgh, Austin, and Seattle. In addition to the weekly "Throwback Threesome" music video feature, Phil writes about things that matter to Charlotte sports fans and pet owners. He happens to be both.

Poll Shows What People Would Do If They Won A Lottery Jackpot

What would you do if you had a winning lottery ticket? I don’t mean just any lottery ticket. I’m talking huge, life-changing, multi-million-dollar Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot money. When the numbers get up into the hundreds of millions, you’re not just taking the kids to Disney World for a week. How do you think your life would change?

A survey by Play Pennsylvania looked at all things lottery and found that only 1% of people who play do so daily. It also showed that most people (83%) would keep it hush-hush if they won the lottery. Definitely a good idea. Who needs a bunch of “long-lost cousins” coming out of the woodwork? Then again, 88% of respondents said they would donate money to charity or relatives in need. Nice. Maybe there’s hope for humanity after all.

Surprisingly, only 10% of people said they would quit their job on the spot. Two-percent said they would leave their partner. Ouch. And as far as purchases with those lottery jackpot winnings, the top three were New Home, Trip, and Car. But those are short-term changes. What about the big picture?

Sadly, too many lottery winners have either lost all of their winnings really quickly and, in some cases, met with a tragic end. Therefore, the first thing you would want to do is hire a lawyer and financial advisor to keep you from making any foolish mistakes. Then you could start having some fun. Here are the top five things people said they would do after they won a big lottery jackpot:

  • 1. Travel The World

    This one is sort of a no-brainer because not only could you go just about anywhere in the world, you could do it in style. First-class all the way, baby! You wouldn’t even have to pack that much stuff. Just buy new clothes when you get there. Don’t worry, you can afford it now.

    Traveler

    Spencer Platt/Getty Images

  • 2. Pay Off Debt

    How great would it feel to be free and clear of all your outstanding financial obligations? House? Paid off! Cars? Paid off! Credit cards? Paid off? Future college educations? Already paid off!

    Lottery winners

    Matt Cardy/Getty Images

  • 3. Become An Artist

    With no more debt hanging over your head, you can start to focus on the things you really want to do with your life. It’s time to unleash that inner-creative genius that has been held captive by your 9-to-5 job. Paint, sculpt, make movies, compose symphonies. The world needs more art!

    Man painting watercolor

    Stuart Franklin/Getty Images

  • 4. Write A Book

    Writing a book takes time. Fortunately, with your newly-acquired fortune, you can afford to take all the time you need. Here’s an idea starter for your first novel: Person of average means suddenly comes into a massive amount of money. Aaaand go!

    Woman writing on laptop

    Sean Gallup/Getty Images

  • 5. Play Video Games Full Time

    If you won a Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot worth hundred of millions of dollars, you could do pretty much anything you want. As long as it’s legal, of course. If you want become a professional gamer, go for it. Who knows? It could lead to even more money for you!

    Playing VR video game

    Tomohiro Ohsumi/Getty Images

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