‘Is this for real?’ North Carolina man stunned at winning $100,000 lottery prize

A 63-year-old man from Greenville, North Carolina, won a major prize after buying a $20-scratch off ticket from a local convenience store.

“I was like, ‘Is this for real,’” Tom Haas told the North Carolina Education Lottery after he realized he had won $100,000. “I thought there was no way it could be right.”

Haas bought his Premier Cash ticket from a Circle K on South Memorial Drive in Winterville, about 85 miles east of Raleigh. He picked up his winnings at the lottery headquarters and took home $71,016 after taxes, according to the lottery.

He said he wants to use the money to pay off some bills.

“I just thought, ‘Wow, this is awesome,’” Haas said, according to the lottery.

The Premier Cash game began in August with four prizes of $2 million and eight prizes of $100,000, according to the lottery. Two $2 million prizes and three $100,000 prizes remain to be won as of April 6, the lottery said.

This story was originally published April 7, 2022 at 11:03 AM with the headline "‘Is this for real?’ North Carolina man stunned at winning $100,000 lottery prize."