RALEIGH — A pair of siblings from North Carolina split a $200,000 lottery prize Friday after honoring a long-standing agreement to share any major winnings. Beverly Berryman of Sanford, Lee County, purchased the lucky $5 Cash King ticket and divided the prize with her brother, Ivan Barrett of Goldston, Chatham County.
Berryman bought the winning ticket from Prince Mart on Wilson Road in Sanford. The siblings had decided years ago that they would split the proceeds if either of them won a significant lottery prize. Berryman scratched the ticket in the store parking lot shortly after the purchase. Upon realizing she had won the top prize, she immediately called her brother to share the news. “I was in shock,” Berryman recalled. “I was like, “You can’t believe this.” I had to show it to him.”
The siblings arrived at lottery headquarters last week to claim the prize.
Barrett explained that the decision to share the money was the fulfillment of a long-standing agreement.
“We always had a pact between us,” Barrett said.
Each sibling claimed half of the total prize, amounting to $100,000 each. After required state and federal tax withholdings, they both took home $72,011. The winners intend to use the funds for personal expenses.
Berryman plans to use her winnings to work on her house, while Barrett plans to pay off his car. The Cash King game debuted in January with four $200,000 top prizes. Following the siblings’ claim, two of those top prizes remain in the game.