The North Carolina Education Lottery says that a veteran of the North Carolina Army said he could not sleep after buying a Powerball ticket and winning a big prize.
The lucky $3 Quick Pick ticket was bought by Cherokee resident Donald Smiley, who is retired from the Army. He did so at the Catamount Travel Center on U.S. 441 north in Whittier.
He got all five white balls and the red Powerball right in the Oct. 9 drawing, which won him $50,000. His prize tripled to $150,000 when the 3X multiplier hit because he bought a Power Play ticket.
“I was like, ‘Am I reading this right?'” Smiley spoke up. “I am still so excited.”
He went to the lottery headquarters to claim his prize and, after federal and state taxes were taken out, he was left with $107,251. Smiley said he was going to pay his bills with the money he won.
