'I was stunned': Raleigh retiree wins $230K lottery
A retired Raleigh man who won nearly $231,000 in the North Carolina Education Lottery says he plans to celebrate by splurging on a nice dinner at Angus Barn and will save the rest of the money for his future.
Posted — Updated
Michael Gyurko won a $230,922 Carolina Cash 5 jackpot, according to lottery officials. After state and federal withholdings, he received a check for $159,914.
Gyurko used numbers based on his daughter’s birthday to match all five numbers drawn in the July 24 drawing. He purchased the lucky $1 ticket at Han-Dee Hugo on Durant Road in Raleigh.
He was at home when he checked the winning numbers on the lottery’s website.
“I was stunned,” Gyurko said in a statement released by the lottery. “I thought I’d maybe won $40 or so, but then I realize I matched five out of five. I’ve played for years, but I never really expected to win. This is a tremendous amount of money and I’m going to make it last.”
He purchased one of two tickets that matched all five numbers in the drawing, splitting the $461,844 jackpot. The second share of the jackpot, which has not yet been claimed, was won on a ticket purchased at the SM Mart Spring on Springs Road Northeast in Hickory.
“It feels great to win,” Gyurko said. “And I’m definitely going to keep playing. Even if I don’t win, I know the money is going to a good cause.”
North Carolina Education Lottery net proceeds were used last year to help pay salaries of teachers and teacher assistants, for pre-kindergarten programs for at-risk four-year-olds, school construction and repair, and need-based college scholarships and financial aid, according to lottery officials.
• Credits
Copyright 2024 by Capitol Broadcasting Company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
