She used the same lucky numbers for years playing NC lottery. It finally paid off big

Lola Allen told lottery officials she had used the same trusty numbers in the North Carolina lottery for years. This January, it finally paid off, and she couldn’t believe it.

“When they all fell into place, I was in shock,” Allen said. “I was numb.”

Allen, who is a retired physical education teacher, won $264,419 off a $1 Cash 5 ticket with her lucky numbers at the Food Lion on Rosehill Road in Fayetteville, according to lottery officials. She’s played Cash 5 for years and didn’t ever expect to win.

“From the very beginning I’ve been using the same numbers,” Allen said. “They are my favorite numbers so I stuck with them.”

According to the North Carolina Education Lottery, Allen was one of three players to match all five numbers in a drawing on Jan. 25, so the $793,257 jackpot was divided into three winnings. Allen took home $187,764 after taxes when she picked up her prize at the lottery headquarters.

Allen didn’t specify what she planned to use her winnings for.

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.

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