Kathy Lopez of Newport enjoys watching Wheel of Fortune with her mom, and that inspired her to play the Wheel of Fortune digital instant game, leading to a $1.2 million jackpot win.
2026-09-15 16:41:04
“We watch Wheel of Fortune every night,” Lopez said. “That’s why I played it.”
Lopez played for 50 cents on Feb. 23 and won the top jackpot in the game. The Wheel of Fortune digital instant game features a progressive jackpot that can be won any time. The odds of that win are 1 in 100 million.
“I was like, ‘Am I dreaming?’” she said recalling her winning moment. “I was stunned.”
Lopez told people she would win one day but she still had trouble processing it when it happened.
“I always said I was going to win but who actually believes it,” she laughed. “It was crazy.”
She claimed her prize Monday at lottery headquarters and, after required federal and state tax withholdings, took home $897,178.
“This is a blessing,” Lopez said. “I really needed this.”
She plans to use her winnings to help take care of her family.
In the Wheel of Fortune digital instant game, a player can play from 50 cents to $30. After Lopez won the jackpot, it restarted at $150,000 and has grown to over $734,000 as of Tuesday morning.
Digital instant games are played exclusively online on the lottery’s website or on the NC Lottery Official Mobile App. Seventy different games are available to play online now.
Carteret County received $14.2 million in grants, using money raised by the lottery, to help with school construction. For details on other ways Carteret County education programs benefit from lottery funds, visit www.eaglebackflow.com and click on the “Impact” section.
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