Player gets ‘dream’ win in NC lottery just as he needs cash for family emergency
A man in need of cash for a family emergency gambled on a pricey lottery ticket and won a six-figure prize, according to the North Carolina Education Lottery.
Omar Thaher of Greenville says he splurged on the $30 Black Titanium ticket because it was his birthday.
He beat odds of 1 in 744,433.13 to win $100,000, lottery officials said in a July 21 news release.
“It was like a dream. I’ve never won anything before,” Thaher said in the release.
“I really, really needed this. ... I’m about to travel overseas for a family emergency so this came at the perfect time.”
Thaher got the ticket at the Joy Quick Mart on North Duke Street in Durham, and cashed it in July 20 at lottery headquarters in Raleigh.
His winnings came to $71,259 after federal and state withholdings, lottery officials said.
Any money left over after his travel expenses are paid will be used as the down payment on a new home, Thaher said.
The Black Titanium is a scratch-off game that launched in June with six top prizes of $4 million and 16 prizes of $100,000. Thaher was the first to win a $100,000 prize, officials said.
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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 July 21, 2023 at 2:05 PM with the headline "Player gets ‘dream’ win in NC lottery just as he needs cash for family emergency."