North Carolina grandma wins $200,000 off $5 ticket from favorite store, plans to make sure grandkids are comfortable

ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. (WGHP) — Trina Cotton, of Castalia, won a $200,000 lottery prize, according to an NC Education Lottery news release.

“I have a pattern where I usually go to the same store,” she said.

Cotton said Friday night she had an appointment at a nail salon. Afterward, she started to head home. She then realized she forgot to buy a scratch-off ticket like she normally does.

“There was a store right across the street from the salon, but I did a U-turn and drove about 20 minutes to go to my usual store,” she said. “I listened to the voice in my head telling me to go to my store.”

Cotton bought her winning $5 Mega Bucks ticket at Turner’s Mini Mart on Benvenue Road in Rocky Mount.

“I went home and started scratching, and then I thought, ‘This can’t be right,’” she said. “I had to put my glasses on to make sure I was seeing it right.”

She said she has told people for years that she wanted to win.

“I really have dreamed about this,” Cotton said.

Cotton arrived at lottery headquarters Monday to collect her prize. After required state and federal tax withholdings, she took home $142,501.

“If somebody in my family calls out for help, now I am able to help them,” she said.

Cotton said she wants to make sure her family, including her nine grandkids, is comfortable.

Source: Fox 8 News Channel