Lottery player buys ticket during morning routine. The huge prize left him ‘shaking’
A North Carolina man bought a lottery ticket during his morning routine — and won big.
“I kind of freaked out,” Barry Spellman told the N.C. Education Lottery in a March 7 news release. “I was shaking.”
Spellman scored the $100,000 prize on his daily trip to a Han-Dee Hugo’s convenience store. For years, he’s visited the Wilmington business to buy coffee and lottery tickets.
This time around, Spellman tried his luck on the $8 Million Money Maker scratch-off game. His $50 ticket made him richer, but it has taken time for the good news to sink in.
“I’m still just trying to process it,” the lucky winner told lottery officials.
Spellman, who lives in Wilmington, kept $71,764 after taxes. Now, he hopes to put the money toward bills, investments and a Disney World vacation.
It’s not the first time a lottery player’s morning routine has paid off. Another North Carolina winner was making his regular stop at a store when he bought a life-changing ticket, McClatchy News reported in October.
This story was originally published March 7, 2025 at 1:25 PM.
