Lottery player ‘saw one zero then another zero then another’ on NC scratch-off ticket

A lottery player watched his prize grow before his eyes as he kept revealing zeroes on his North Carolina ticket.

By the time he finished scratching, Ashley Abee of Burke County had hit a top prize of $200,000, the N.C. Education Lottery said in an Oct. 11 news release.

“I saw one zero then another zero then another,” he told lottery officials.

Abee bought his $5 Emerald 8s ticket at Walmart in Morganton.

“I just kept looking at it over and over again,” the winner told lottery officials, describing the experience as “overwhelming.”

He claimed his prize Oct. 10, taking home $143,001 after tax, which he plans to put in his savings, the N.C. Lottery said.

He beat the 1-in-1,224,660 odds to win the third of six top prizes in the game, which debuted in December, according to lottery officials.

Burke County is about an 80-mile drive northwest from Charlotte.

Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

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