Four Moore County men have won $100,000 lottery jackpots this year. James Smith, of Pinehurst, is the latest to collect his prize. He took a chance on a $1 Cash 5 ticket and won a $100,000 jackpot in the Jan. 29 drawing, according to N.C. Education Lottery in a press release.
Smith bought his lucky ticket from Circle K on Beverly Lane in Southern Pines. He arrived at lottery headquarters on March 30 to collect his prize.
Timothy Sanders, of Southern Pines, said he had to take a moment and calm himself down after seeing that his $1 Cash 5 ticket won the $100,000 jackpot in the March 20 drawing.
“My heart was racing,” Sanders said. “I had to put the ticket down and go to the kitchen to get some water before I went back and checked it again.”
Sanders, a 47-year-old plumber, bought his lucky Quick Pick ticket from Southern Pines Mobile Mart on Central Drive.
“I was really, really excited,” Sanders said. “I really was shocked.”
He said he has a good idea where some of the prize money will go.
“I’ve been wanting a truck forever,” said Sanders. “Probably a Chevrolet.”
Steven Richter, of Jackson Springs, saw something on his scratch-off ticket that convinced him why a $100,000 lottery prize came his way.
“The winning number that I had was ‘six’ and that’s my mother’s maiden name,” Richter said. “It had to be fate.”
Richter, 53, stopped by the Speedway on N.C. 5 in Aberdeen to purchase his $30 200X The Cash scratch-off. He won the first $100,000 prize in the new game.
“I thought it was just a $100 winner at first,” Richter said. “I guess it just happened to be my time.”
Richter said he called his wife right away to tell her the good news.
“I told her to guess how much I won,” Richter said. “She still can’t believe it.”
Richter arrived at lottery headquarters March 15 to collect his prize and said he plans to pay some bills and put some money away for his daughter’s college.
Samphant Vanamathi, of Pinehurst, tried his luck on a $1 Cash 5 ticket and won the March 4 jackpot of $100,000.
Vanamathi bought his lucky Cash 5 ticket from the Harris Teeter on Ivey Lane in Taylortown.
All four men each took home just over $71,000 after state and federal tax withholdings.
Feature photo: Samphant Vanamathi (left), Timothy Sanders, Steven Richter collect their jackpots. Not pictured is James Smith.
