LELAND — A Christmas stocking stuffer turned into a $200,000 prize for a Brunswick County man.
William Jones got a Christmas present he couldn’t imagine when he found a winning Carolina Panthers ticket worth $200,000 in his stocking, according to the North Carolina Education Lottery.
“My wife bought the ticket for me as a stocking stuffer,” Jones said. “It’s a pretty good Christmas present that’s for sure.”
Jones couldn’t believe his good fortune when he scratched off the winning ticket. He took ticket back to the Buy & Go on Ploof Road in Leland to double check his winnings.
“The clerk told me I just won $200,000,” Jones said. “I told him, ‘You got to be kidding me.’”
Jones claimed his prize Wednesday at lottery headquarters. After required state and federal tax withholdings, he took home $138,501. He plans to use some of the money to pay bills.
Jones won the last of four top prizes of $200,000, according to officials. With the last prize won, the lottery will begin steps to end the game. Players can still enter tickets into a second-chance drawing for a grand prize of 20 years of Panthers season tickets.
For more information about the North Carolina Education Lottery visit its website.
