She played NC lottery game for first time — and couldn’t believe her beginner’s luck
A North Carolina mom played a lottery game for the first time — and hit the jackpot.
Corinne Leontieff, 35, said she couldn’t believe her beginner’s luck after she found out her ticket was worth $134,857, according to the N.C. Education Lottery.
“I was in shock of course,” Leontieff told officials in a March 25 news release. “Still kind of in shock.”
Leontieff scored the big prize after she stopped at the Hampstead Country Store, located in Pender County and roughly 15 miles northeast of Wilmington. That’s where she decided to spend $10 on a Big Bucks Bingo ticket.
It was the first time Leontieff bought a ticket for a Fast Play progressive jackpot game, and it paid off big time. She beat 1-in-240,000 odds to score the top prize, according to officials.
“It was my first time playing,” Leontieff told the N.C. Education Lottery. “It’s a blessing.”
Leontieff kept $95,765 after taxes. She hopes to spend money on bills, “invest some and save for her son’s future,” officials said.
It’s not the first time that someone has hit the jackpot after trying something new.
In February, officials said a longtime South Carolina lottery player bought a different lottery ticket than usual and got much richer.
A month before, a South Carolina man celebrated a windfall after going to a gas station that he didn’t normally visit, McClatchy News reported.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREWhen gambling is more than a game
Gambling is designed to be a source of entertainment.
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.
This story was originally published March 28, 2022 at 9:28 AM with the headline "She played NC lottery game for first time — and couldn’t believe her beginner’s luck."
