Father’s Day gift turns into huge lottery prize for NC dad. ‘I was on a cloud’

A Father’s Day gift turned into a huge lottery prize for a North Carolina dad.

“I was like in another world,” jackpot winner William Bon Viso told the N.C. Education Lottery. “I was on a cloud.”

Bon Viso, who is from Wilmington, shook in disbelief when he realized the ticket he bought was worth $250,000 . He scored the windfall as he tried to keep a family tradition going, lottery officials wrote June 28 in a news release.

Typically, Bon Viso’s aunt gives him scratch-off tickets for Father’s Day. But this time, he received $20 in cash and spent some of it on the lucky ticket.

“This is beyond a dream come true ,” the winner said, adding that the recent gift “became a blessing.”

Bon Viso won big after visiting the Walmart store in Wilmington. At the Sigmon Road location, he bought a $5 ticket for the 20X the Cash game .

“Life is just all about timing,” Bon Viso told lottery officials. “It just shows you have to always follow your gut.”

The jackpot winner kept $178,751 after taxes. He hopes to invest the money and may travel, officials said.

Bon Viso joins dads in North Carolina and Maryland who have celebrated life-changing Father’s Day lottery wins , The Charlotte Observer and McClatchy News reported.

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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