RALEIGH — A Gastonia resident has won the first $150,000 top prize in the new Loteria Grande scratch-off game, N.C. Education Lottery officials said. Shirley Wakefield purchased the winning $5 ticket from the Highland Mini Mart on North Highland Street in Gastonia.
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Wakefield claimed her prize at lottery headquarters on Tuesday. After required state and federal tax withholdings, she took home $108,016.
Wakefield bought her winning $5 scratch-off ticket from Highland Mini Mart on North Highland Street in Gastonia. The first thing she did after seeing the result was show her boyfriend the ticket.
“I was like, ‘Look I won!’” Wakefield recalled.
Wakefield said processing the news of the top prize win took time.
“It was very overwhelming,” she said.
When asked about her plans for the payout, Wakefield shared that she wants to support her family and friends.
She said she plans to use her winnings to “bless those that I love.”
The Loteria Grande game debuted in August featuring five $150,000 top prizes. Following Wakefield’s claim, four $150,000 prizes remain to be claimed in the game.