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John Brower of Star said he was having a hard time believing that a stop for gas and the purchase of a $5 scratch-off resulted in a $150,000 prize.

“It really hasn’t hit me yet,” said Brower. “I was just heading home, stopped for gas, and I bought the one ticket.”

The “one ticket” was a $5 Mystery Prize Cashword he picked up from the Quik Chek on East Main Street in Biscoe. Brower claimed his prize last Friday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh, and after federal and state tax withholdings, took home $106,126.

“I’ve always wanted to open up a bike shop,” he said. “So, I might do that.”

Brower, who works with his hands laying down concrete and fixing up cars, says he would also like to do some traveling after his big win.

Mystery Prize Cashword launched in September with six $150,000 top prizes. Four remain to be won.

Ticket sales from scratch off games make it possible for the lottery to raise more than $900 million per year for education. To learn how money raised by the lottery made a difference in Montgomery County in 2020, visit www.nclottery.com and click on the “Impact” section.