A North Carolina woman won more than $500,000 after buying a $1 lottery ticket minutes before the drawing closed
- A North Carolina woman won more than $500,000 after winning the lottery.
- Stephanie Israel, 39, purchased the ticket four minutes before the drawing.
A North Carolina woman won more than half a million after purchasing a lottery ticket minutes before the drawing.
Stephanie Israel purchased a $1 Quick Pick ticket online four minutes before the Cash 5 drawing last Saturday, per the NC Education Lottery.
"It was late at night, and I was lying in bed, and the spirit just told me to go online and buy one," Israel told officials.
According to the lottery, the 39-year-old of Browns Summit found out she won $501,544 the next day, leaving her excited. Israel said she "screamed for like 20 minutes."
She continued, "I think I scared my family a little bit."
The winner went to collect her life-altering prize at the lottery headquarters earlier this week and walked out with $356,147 after taxes. Per officials, Israel said she plans to invest her new fortune in her family's future business endeavors.
"We are constantly thinking of new ideas for businesses," she told officials.
Earlier this year, a North Carolina man said he kept his $100,000 lottery win a secret for two months to surprise his wife. Another man hit the jackpot in May and took home $402, 887 after buying a cash 5 ticket at a convenience store in Princeton.