Barbara Leonard walked out of Friday night's Carolina Hurricanes game with a brand-new, $340,000 house in Wake Forest. No charge. Thanks for your support.

"I'll probably shake all the way home," she said, dangling the keys from her finger.

Leonard, 50, took the grand prize in the Hurricanes' celebration of the team's 10th anniversary -- a five-bedroom, 3,100-square-foot palace donated by St. Lawrence Homes.

"It's a monster," said Rich Ohmann, St. Lawrence's vice president. "We felt it was a natural to welcome a fan home."

To win, Leonard edged out 38,000 contestants from Virginia, North Carolina and South Carolina -- even her husband, James.

James played an online game every day from October to December before winning a free ticket to Friday's game and a chance for the home. Barbara played just once.

Keep in mind, though, that this prize is worth one-third of $1 million. Manic behavior is to be expected.

"I was entering every day since since the beginning of the season," said Caroline Ehlenbeck, a scientist in Apex.

Just before Friday's game, a drawing whittled 200 winners to 10 finalists.

They all sat together in section 205 waiting, mentally arranging furniture in the home they were certain they would win.

"We have seven children and we're almost empty-nesters," said Bernadette Bliss from Cary, who celebrated her 63rd birthday Friday. "So it sounds funny to want something bigger. But this past Christmas, there were 14 of us."

After the second period, all 10 finalists lined up on the ice and opened a gift box with a Canes sweater inside. Only Leonard pulled out a red home shirt -- the winner.

"I prayed about it," she said. "I prayed the person who needed it most would get it, even if it wasn't me."

Leonard teaches elementary school and is working part time while her husband goes to school. They were in the middle of buying a house just across the South Carolina border from Charlotte, where they live, but the big win scrapped those plans. A friend can rent the old house, which Leonard described as "little."

Meanwhile, the losing contestants raced to their seats to watch the finish.

"I'll trade a house for a win," said Connie Johanns. Her husband, Bob, was a finalist. "I'll trade a house for a Stanley Cup win."