Lottery player waited for jackpot to grow. It paid off big time in North Carolina
A lottery player waited for a jackpot to grow — and it paid off big time in North Carolina.
Shawn Gallagher learned he won a $539,813 prize, and he shared the good news with his wife.
“She wanted to kiss me,” the lucky winner told the N.C. Education Lottery in an Oct. 7 news release.
Gallagher won big after he kept an eye on the jackpot for the Carolina Cash 5 game. After the top prize exceeded a half-million dollars, he decided to spend $1 on an online ticket.
“I have a fear of missing out when it’s a big pot,” Gallagher told lottery officials.
It turns out, his ticket beat 1-in-962,598 odds to match all the numbers picked in the Oct. 4 drawing. Now, he hopes to put his prize money toward bills and his mortgage.
While lottery officials originally said Gallagher was from Hertford County, a spokesperson later told McClatchy News via email that he lives in Franklin County. The winner kept $387,317 after taxes.
This story was originally published October 8, 2025 at 9:14 AM with the headline "Lottery player waited for jackpot to grow. It paid off big time in North Carolina."
