Wife has emotional reaction to timely news

By Kate Northrop

ROBBINS, N.C. — A North Carolina man will be able to buy his family the "house they deserve" after winning a $1.1 million Cash 5 jackpot in the lottery.

A North Carolina lottery winner's wife had an emotional reaction to the news that they would be able to afford a house thanks to a $1.1 million Cash 5 jackpot that her husband won.

Years ago, Terrell Bethea of West End told his wife that she deserved to have a house of her own. Having just claimed the $1.1 million Cash 5 jackpot in the North Carolina Lottery, he can make it happen.

"Now I can get my family the house they deserve," Bethea told the Lottery.

He recalled his wife's emotional reaction to the timely news, which was so overwhelming that she could not stand when he revealed it to her.

"She fell to her knees and broke down crying," Bethea said.

While the lifechanging impact of the win sits above all else, the lottery winner could not help but notice that the timing of the win was impeccable — just two days before his 36th birthday.

"This happened two days before my birthday," he laughed with Lottery officials. "Isn't that wild?"

Bethea bought his Cash 5 ticket at the Friendly Mart gas station convenience store on NC-24 in Robbins. His ticket for the Mon., Aug. 5 drawing contained a play with all five winning numbers: 6, 12, 22, 35, and 38.

He visited Lottery headquarters in Raleigh the day after the drawing, and after state and federal taxes, he took home a grand total of $811,106.

"This means more to me than you can possibly imagine," the winner said.

Cash 5 drawings take place every day at 11:22 pm Eastern Time. All winning numbers, prizes and odds can be found on Lottery Post's North Carolina Lottery Results page right after each drawing.