Woman ‘hasn’t stopped’ screaming since hitting NC lottery jackpot, her husband says

Hayley Fowler
·2 min read

Gordell Waller was at work in North Carolina on Friday, Feb. 18, when his wife called him in a panic and told him to come home.

She had big news to share — they won the lottery.

“She just screamed and screamed and screamed,” Waller told officials with the N.C. Education Lottery. “She hasn’t stopped yet.”

The Durham couple won half of a $470,978 Cash 5 jackpot during a drawing on Thursday, Feb. 17, the N.C. Education Lottery said in a news release. They took home $167,222 from lottery headquarters in Raleigh after state and federal taxes.

Officials said the second winning ticket was purchased at the Smoker’s Depot on South Tryon Street in Charlotte and hasn’t yet been claimed. The winner has 180 days from the drawing to claim it.

A man from Durham, North Carolina, who won the Cash 5 jackpot playing the N.C. Education Lottery said he plans to open a seafood market with his winnings.
A man from Durham, North Carolina, who won the Cash 5 jackpot playing the N.C. Education Lottery said he plans to open a seafood market with his winnings.

Waller purchased his ticket at Bull Market on Guess Road in Durham. He told lottery officials he used the same numbers he’s been playing for the last eight years.

“I cried tears of joy,” Waller said. “I was elated.”

According to the news release, Waller plans to fulfill a 30-year-old dream of his by opening a seafood market with his winnings.

“I’m from the coast originally and I love seafood,” he said. “I’ve wanted to open up my own seafood market for years.”

The Cash 5 game is a rolling jackpot that starts at $100,000, and the prize money continues to increase every night of the drawing until someone wins it all. Players pick five numbers between 1 and 43 with the goal of matching all five white balls during the drawing to win.

There is a 1 in 962,598 shot of matching all five numbers to win the jackpot. The Cash 5 drawings are held every night at 11:22 p.m.

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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