82 Year Old Woman Wins $400,000 In NC Powerball Lottery

Thursday, August 10, 2006 posted 03:41 AM EDT

Louise Thomas of Jacksonville claimed her prize of $400,000 this week at the North Carolina lottery headquarters.

Lottery officials say the 82 year old had never played the lottery until it came to North Carolina. She bought only two Powerball tickets this weekend as well as some instant scratch-off tickets. She won $25 and $75 playing the instant games, she told the lottery.

"I had stopped at the Circle K on Pine Valley to buy some miniature marshmallows for a fruit salad and decided to buy some lottery tickets," she told lottery officials. "I normally buy my lottery tickets at Johnson Drug Company because they are real nice to me."

Thomas said her money will go immediately into the bank. After that she plans to pay off her daughter's mortgage, she said to lottery officials.

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