North Carolina

Shocked man read email 3 times after second-chance NC lottery win. ‘In disbelief still’

A North Carolina man plans to take his mother on a cruise with his new lottery winning, lottery officials said.
A North Carolina man plans to take his mother on a cruise with his new lottery winning, lottery officials said. Getty Images/iStockphoto

One North Carolina mother will “have even more fun” on her upcoming cruise trip thanks to her son’s big lottery win.

Michael Harrington entered a second-chance jackpot and won a $200,000 prize, according to a Nov. 9 North Carolina Education Lottery news release.

At first, Harrington was in shock over his win Wednesday, Nov. 8.

“I had to read the email three times before I realized it,” he said in the release.

The Raleigh resident was already planning to take his mother on a cruise trip, but his earnings will now ensure her vacation is well-funded, he said to lottery officials. Harrington also will use part of the prize to pay off some of his bills, lottery officials said.

Once the surprise wore off, Harrington made his way to the Raleigh lottery headquarters to collect his winnings, which totaled $142,500 after taxes.

“I’m in disbelief still,” Harrington said, per the release. “But I’m excited.”

Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

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Makiya Seminera
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Makiya Seminera is a national real-time reporter for McClatchy News. She graduated from the University of Florida in May 2023. She previously was a politics reporting intern at The News & Observer in Raleigh, North Carolina, and The State in Columbia, South Carolina. She also served as editor-in-chief of UF’s student-run newspaper The Independent Florida Alligator in 2022.
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