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Stunned lottery buff wins NC jackpot while experimenting with new game. ‘Hard to beat’

“I always like buying the new tickets when they come out,” he told lottery officials.
“I always like buying the new tickets when they come out,” he told lottery officials. North Carolina Education Lottery

Lester Land III, a 65-year-old lottery aficionado, was floored when he took home the jackpot win in a brand new North Carolina scratch-off.

“I always like buying the new tickets when they come out,” he told lottery officials.

The debut Lincoln scratch-off game won him a $200,000 prize, according to a Sept. 7 news release from the N.C. Education Lottery.

Land bought his $5 ticket at the Xpress Mart in High Point, lottery officials said. He took home $142,021 after taxes.

“That’s hard to beat,” Land told lottery officials.

The New London resident said he planned to use the winnings to buy a Toyota Prius, according to the release.

High Point is about 20 miles southeast of Winston-Salem.

Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

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.

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This story was originally published September 8, 2022 at 3:31 PM with the headline "Stunned lottery buff wins NC jackpot while experimenting with new game. ‘Hard to beat’."

Alison Cutler
mcclatchy-newsroom
Alison Cutler is a National Real Time Reporter for the Southeast at McClatchy. She graduated from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at Arizona State University and previously worked for The News Leader in Staunton, VA, a branch of USAToday.
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