INDIAN TRAIL, N.C. — It's not every day you can wake up your spouse screaming and everything's OK. But that's the case for an Indian Trail man after he won a lottery jackpot.
Thomas Kemp checked his Cash 5 ticket early last week and realized he scored a $110,000 jackpot.
"I woke up my wife screaming,' Get up we won!'" Kemp laughed. "I probably woke the neighbors, too."
Kemp bought the lucky $1 ticket at the BP on Idlewild Road in Indian Trail. He matched all five numbers to win the jackpot. The odds of matching all five balls are 1 in 962,598, according to the North Carolina Education Lottery.
"I'm still shaking," Kemp said. "It was an exciting moment."
So how does one pick their lucky numbers? For Kemp, he always uses family birthdays. Finally, it paid off in a big way.
After required federal and state taxes, Kemp pocketed $78,653. He plans to pay some bills, give money to his kids and possibly take a trip to California.
Playing the lottery is a form of gambling. If you are concerned about your gambling or worried about a friend, you can call the NC Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-877-718-5543. You can also contact the National Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.