Winnings give business owner much-needed relief after pandemic causes financial struggles
By Kate Northrop
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — Many business owners and entrepreneurs saw their businesses and livelihoods shuttered after the coronavirus shutdown. But one North Carolina resident now has a chance to re-open his hair salon after winning a $1.2 million lottery prize.
Jeffrey Yi, of Fayetteville, was fortunate enough to win the Sept. 24 Cash 5 jackpot worth $1,247,944 that would help him reopen his hair salon six months after COVID-19 forced it to close.
"My business was shut down because of coronavirus, and I lost a lot of money," Yi told the N.C. Lottery. "I couldn't pay the rent or the employees. This is a chance to reopen again. I'm so happy."
Business owners like Yi struggled to find options and opportunities that would keep them afloat while the shutdown worked to curb the spread of the virus by shuttering businesses deemed non-essential. Yi said he was encouraged by a friend to try his luck playing the lottery, so he gave it a shot.
"My friend said that Cash 5 prize is very high right now, so you gotta buy some tickets," Yi recalled being told. "So I bought them."
Yi stopped by the Speedway gas station on Yadkin Road in Fayetteville to purchase his lucky Cash 5 ticket that would make him a jackpot winner. Using his own numbers, he beat the odds of 1 in 962,598 to match all five numbers in the drawing.
"I was surprised. So happy," he said.
He visited Lottery headquarters in Raleigh on Friday, Sept. 25 to claim his prize. His total winnings amounted to $882,923 after federal and state taxes.
The next Cash 5 drawing will take place tonight, Oct. 4 at 11:22 pm for an estimated jackpot worth $791,000. Drawings occur at the same time every night and can be viewed live on local television stations and the winning numbers are published soon after on Lottery Post's North Carolina Lottery Results page. Tickets cost $1 each.
Something in the water there I swear. Congratulations on your great big win and knowing your business will once again be in full swing.
Always a nice to hear a feel good story. Nice win .
And 5.2 million business owners were given freshly printed dollars in the amount of $684 billion as a PPP loan which can be forgiven...Future tax payers will have to pay for these businesses such a great idea hahahaha...While the rest 160 million workers were shut with a check of $1200 🤣🤣🤣🤣
Blame the $20 trillion in debt on over 50 years of deficit spending. The pandemic is not getting better and any plan to help businesses in general, the unemployed, and the average people hurting because of it, will add even more to the deficit.
The statistic I read showed where the last first stimulus package actually boost the economy, but without a cure things went back to where they were. Can't really say if there will be another package even before the election which might help several Senators on the hot seat get re-elected.
Stimulus package or not at least this small business will get a boost!
AWESOME story!!
Great to hear a business owner using winnings to keep the business open and employees paid. He could just call it a day and use the money to retire.
Jeffrey Yi is back in the driver's seat. Congrats!
I'm so happy that someone won it who really needed it so he could open his business back up!
Good for him...guess he might ought to give his friend a little bit since he was the one who
urged him to buy some tickets!😃
You did it! Enjoy your winnings.
Socialism for the rich and business owners ONLY hahahaha
The rest 240 million - 295 million be happy with few hundred dollars of socialism hahahaa
And the debt is over $26 Trillion NOT $20T
US gov can’t have even 3 percent interest rates so 0 - .25 percent interest rates forever and the rest of the world will be dumping the dollar soon...US gov can and will do only one thing expand the money supply and hope inflation is under control which won’t happen because definition of inflation is expansion of money supply hahahaha
Awesome!
Yep, went back and looked and the $20 trillion was from 2019, but hey it's not like it's real money..........or is it?
Gee people, lighten up. l can understand that you may not like me or the post personally BUT these folks here KNOW that they are being filmed, it's not like they were caught off guard. They intended this to be hilarious and it needs to be taken with a pinch of salt. Remove yourself from that bubble you live in, and live a little- if you can.
Thought your post was funny and I sure miss having a manny transmission especially five speed.
If folks don't like you, screw them. You're good people in my book. Let them live their miserable little lives and not taking things with a grain of salt.