Havelock man wins big lottery prize

A Havelock man has won nearly $300,000 in the state lottery, according to a release from the North Carolina Education Lottery.

James Dixon matched five numbers in the Carolina Cash 5 drawing April 9 and won $296,685.

According to the release, Dixon checked his numbers the day after the drawing at a local lottery retailer. He said when he saw that all five numbers had matched he thought to himself, "I'm not believing this is right," he said, according to the release.

He asked the cashier to scan the ticket, and indeed the numbers were correct.

He is scheduled to be in Raleigh this week to pick up his prize, according to the release.

Dixon said he would use the money to make church donations and pay off his mortgage, according to the release. He said he would let his wife decide what to do with the rest of the money.

Dixon purchased the ticket at the A&E Stop N Shop on U.S. 17 in Vanceboro.

According to the release, the lottery has paid out more than $10.3 million in instant scratch-off ticket prizes since April 6. Carolina Cash 5 players have won more than $579,000 and Carolina Pick 3 players have won more than $2.2 million.