'It Had To Be Fate': North Carolina Man Scores $100,000 Lottery Prize

A man in North Carolina can't believe his luck after scoring a big prize in the state lottery, calling it an act of fate.

Steven Richter, of Jackson Springs, recently stopped by the Speedway on N.C. 5 in Aberdeen to pick up a scratch-off ticket for the new 200X The Cash game and try his hand at the lottery, according to a release from the NC Education Lottery. His $30 purchased ended up working in his favor after he saw he scored the $100,000 prize. Even more, one of the numbers had so much personal significance that he seemed destined to win.

"The winning number that I had was 'six' and that's my mother's maiden name," he said. "It had to be fate."

After finding himself $100,000 richer, he called his wife to share the news. He told lottery officials that even now, she still can't believe that he won.

Richter claimed his prize at lottery headquarters on Wednesday (March 16), bringing home a total of $71,019 after all state and federal tax withholdings. When asked what he plans to do with his new winnings, he told lottery officials that he hopes to pay some bills and save some funds for his daughter's college education.

"I thought it was just a $100 winner at first," Richter recalled. "I guess it just happened to be my time."