N.C. man thanks pumpkin for his $150,000 lottery win

Oct. 8 (UPI) — A North Carolina man won a $150,000 prize from a scratch-off lottery ticket — and he said it’s all thanks to a pumpkin.

Hertford resident Roy Story told North Carolina Education Lottery officials he has a Halloween tradition of selling pumpkins from his garden.

“I raise a few pumpkins every year and sell them,” Story said. “Someone gave me $10 for a pumpkin and I used that to buy the ticket.”

Story selected a $5 Xtreme Cashword ticket at the Sun Farms store on U.S. 17 South in Elizabeth City.

“I love to play the crosswords,” Story said. “I play them all.”

The player said he initially didn’t realize how much he had won.

“I didn’t have my glasses on,” he said. “I thought it won $1,000.”

The prize actually turned out to be $150,000.

Story said his winnings will go toward buying a new truck.