RALEIGH — North Carolina Education Lottery officials have identified Carnell Marlowe of Sunset Beach as the person who purchased a Powerball ticket worth $2 million on Thanksgiving Day.
Marlowe purchased a $3 Power Play ticket at the Minuteman Food Mart on Beach Drive South West in Calabash, the lottery announced in a press release. The additional dollar was a good gamble for Marlowe because it doubled his prize from $1 million to $2 million for matching five numbers.
Marlowe beat odds of 1 in 11.7 million to win the prize.
“I’m so grateful,” Marlowe said. “I’ve actually won other games before on Thanksgiving Day. Thanksgiving’s been good to me.”
After realizing he won, Marlowe said he first thought to hide his ticket until he could cash it in. That he did, but not in his house, rather, in his wallet.
“No one’s going to think I’d carry it around with me,” Marlowe said. “That’s the last place they’d look.”
However, Marlowe told lottery officials that he was so nervous carrying a slip of paper worth $2 million around, that he didn’t leave his house for the rest of the day. Marlowe plans to use some of the money to pay bills. He said he will save the rest for retirement.
