RALEIGH, NC — December 28, 2023, brought a festive twist for Edisson Garcia Vargas, a Raleigh resident, who won a $200,000 scratch-off prize during a family game on Christmas Eve.
Vargas’s winning $5 More Money ticket was purchased from Harris Teeter on Flowers Crossroads Way in Clayton. The win came as a surprise during a family tradition of unwrapping gifts from a communal bowl. “That lottery ticket was the only thing I got out of there,” Vargas recalled.
The excitement was palpable as Vargas, with a kiss for good luck from his girlfriend, scratched the ticket to reveal his substantial win. “I was so excited when I saw how much I won,” he said, noting his family’s shared astonishment and joy.
Upon claiming his prize at the lottery headquarters on Thursday, Vargas received $142,501 after state and federal tax withholdings. He plans to invest his winnings, turning this unexpected holiday surprise into a long-term benefit.