North Carolina Couple 'Surprised And Excited' After $150,000 Lottery Win

A man in North Carolina learned recently that a huge lottery win may come when you least expect it.

According to a release from the NC Education Lottery, Thomas Pharr, of Charlotte, purchased a Quick Pick $3 Power Play ticket for the September drawing. The lucky ticket ended matching four of the white balls called in the drawing as well as the Powerball, to win $50,000. His prize tripled to $150,000, however, thanks to the 3X Power Play multiplier.

"I had to look at it two or three times to double-check all the zeroes and then I had my wife look at it," he said. "We were surprised and excited."

Though the 67-year-old has played the lottery before, even picking up some cash from a win, he's never scored this big a prize before.

"Forty dollars was the most I ever won prior to this," he said.

Pharr claimed his prize at lottery headquarters on Friday (October 7), taking home $106,516 after all required state and federal tax withholdings. When asked what he plans to do with his new winnings, he told lottery officials he and his wife hope to fix up their house, a dream they've had for a while that they hope to finally make happen.

"We've been talking about renovating our house and lo and behold this happens," he said.