‘I started crying’: Cleveland Co. woman wins $394K lottery prize ahead of birth of child
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CLEVELAND COUNTY, N.C. (WBTV) - A mother from Kings Mountain will use money from a nearly $400,000 lottery win to prepare to welcome another member to her growing family.
Lottery officials said Ashley Helms recently won more than $394,000 from the Carolina Cash 5 jackpot.
Helms purchased her ticket online, and matched all five numbers in Tuesday’s drawing. Lottery officials said two other players also matched all the numbers, splitting the $1.18 million jackpot into three equal prizes.
“When I first looked and I saw I won, I just put my phone down in disbelief,” the lucky winner said. “Then I started crying...I yelled, ‘Babe, babe, come look at the phone.’”
She and her fiancé are preparing for the birth of their second child in the next few months, and said the money will be used in part to get ready. Helms said she also plans to invest some of her winnings.
Lottery officials said Cash 5 is one of six lottery games in North Carolina where players have the option of buying their tickets either at a retail store or with Online Play.
Monday’s Cash 5 jackpot is valued at $100,000.
