NC woman ‘stressing’ about the cost of college gets help from a $4 million jackpot
A woman “stressing” about the costs of college won big in the North Carolina lottery.
Jawana Hooks, a Raleigh resident, scored a $4 million prize, money she plans to put toward her degree, the N.C. Education Lottery said Friday in a news release.
Hooks’ good fortune came when she stopped at a Han-Dee Hugo’s convenience store in Raleigh. At an Atlantic Avenue location, officials say she tried her luck on a ticket for the Millionaire Bucks game.
It turns out, the scratch-off was worth enough to help fulfill Hooks’ longtime dream of studying interior design, according to officials.
“I’m going to be starting school and my school fees are very expensive,” Hooks said in the lottery’s news release. “I was stressing about that.”
Hooks decided to take her prize in a lump sum and kept almost $1.7 million after taxes, according to the news release.
In addition to playing her college expenses, Hooks told officials she will use her winnings to “get a house and keep the rest in savings.”
It’s not the first time someone pursuing their education got a big windfall in North Carolina.
In November, a college student on a grocery store run bought a ticket that was worth $200,000, McClatchy News reported.
BEHIND THE STORY
MOREWhen gambling is more than a game
Gambling is designed to be a source of entertainment.
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.
This story was originally published December 4, 2020 at 3:43 PM with the headline "NC woman ‘stressing’ about the cost of college gets help from a $4 million jackpot."
