Durham man's dream of opening seafood market possible from $235,489 lottery prize

After winning a six-figure prize from the North Carolina Education Lottery, Gordell Waller said he cried tears of joy when he discovered what happened. Waller said he has wanted to open a seafood market for 30 years.

“I’m from the coast originally and I love seafood,” Waller said. “I’ve wanted to open up my own seafood market for years.”Waller won half of a $470,978 Cash 5 jackpot, meaning his win was worth $235,489. The morning after the drawing was held, his wife called him while at work and told him to come home right away.

“She just screamed and screamed and screamed,” Waller said. “She hasn’t stopped yet.”

Waller purchased the ticket from the Bull Market on Guess Road in Durham using numbers he had been playing for the last eight years.

Waller claimed his prize Friday at lottery headquarters. After taxes, he took home $167,222.

The other winning ticket in Thursday’s Cash 5 drawing was purchased from the Smoker’s Depot on South Tryon Street in Charlotte. That winner has 180 days from the drawing to claim the prize.