Man Says He Couldn’t Sleep After Winning 6-Figure Lottery Prize

A North Carolina man said he couldn’t sleep — and neither could his wife — after he hit the jackpot.

Lee Cox, of Asheville, was stunned to learn on Friday, Sept. 19 that he had won a $120,000 lottery prize on a Cash 5 lottery ticket that he bought for just $1, according to a news release from North Carolina lottery officials.

Cox purchased the winning ticket from the iMarket on Tunnel Road in Asheville.

That night, Cox couldn’t get the good news off his mind and struggled to fall asleep. “I was like a kid at Christmas,” he told lottery officials.

But he wasn’t the only one. “I told my wife and she couldn’t go to sleep either,” Cox said with a laugh. “She was so excited.”

Cox claimed his prize on Monday, Sept. 22 at lottery headquarters in Raleigh, N.C., according to lottery officials. After taxes, he took home $86,101.

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Now, Cox plans to use his winnings to purchase some land at Holden Beach, located along the coastline near the North Carolina-South Carolina border.

The odds of matching all five balls in the Cash 5 game are 1 in 962,598, according to lottery officials.

Cash 5 can be played by either buying a physical ticket at a retail location or via Online Play through the lottery’s website or the NC Lottery Official Mobile App.

If you or someone you know is struggling with a gambling problem, please contact the National Problem Gambling Helpline Network at 1-800-522-4700 or go to gamtalk.org.