Cary woman wins $100,000 with lucky ticket from Durham gas station, NC lottery officials say

CARY, N.C. (WNCN) — A woman who bought a lucky lottery ticket in Durham won $100,000 with the scratch-off game, the North Carolina Education Lottery said this week.

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Ruth O’Neal Allen of Cary bought a scratch-off ticket at a gas station on West Main Street in Durham, lottery officials said Thursday.

Allen spent $30 for a Cash Payday ticket at Trinity Park Family Fare at 1016 W Main St.

After scratching off the ticket, Allen saw that she was a $100,000 winner.

She arrived at lottery headquarters on Thursday to claim her prize, taking home $72,018 after required state and federal taxes, officials said.

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The Cash Payday, which debuted with 80 top prizes in March, pays out $100,000 for the luckiest winners. Officials said 60 tickets with the top prize are still unclaimed.

North Carolina Education Lottery officials said that Wake County education programs received $64.3 million from lottery funding in 2025.

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