Luck was on the side of nearly a dozen Wilmington-area residents who hit the jackpot playing the North Carolina Education Lottery in 2025.
For some of the recipients, like Wilmington residents Krystal Hastings and James Patana, the money means realizing the dream of buying a home.
Others, like Pender County’s Robert Lee, who planned to buy some new lawnmower blades, didn’t have big plans but said the money would come in handy.Winner after winner expressed surprise when they realized they had luck on their side:
“I thought it was fake at first,” recalled Michael Pepper of Wilmington.
“I was kind of stunned,” said David Meehling of Wilmington.
But there were a few like Wilmington resident Audrey Peele who believed that one day they would hit the jackpot.
“I always thought I would win big one day,” Peele said. “In my mind, I manifested it.”
After his win, Lee said he and his wife, Jennifer, “believe in karma” and their lottery win reflects that.
Winner John Watson, who was still recovering from heart surgery when he bought his lucky lottery ticket called his win “just the icing on the cake” Here’s a look at Wilmington-area residents who struck it big in 2025.
Krystal Hastings and James Patana
Krystal Hastings and James Patana of Wilmington hit the top prize off of a $10 scratch-off ticket. Their big win was for $1 million. The couple bought the Lucky Loteria ticket from the Harris Teeter on Parker Farm Road in Wilmington.
Once they’d gotten over the shock of winning, Patana and Hastings immediately knew how they were going to spend the money.
“We are finally going to get a house,” Patana said.
Patana and Hastings chose the lump sum and split the $600,000 prize equally. After taxes, Patana and Hastings each took home $215,251.
Michael Pepper
When Michael Pepper of Wilmington hit the $100,000 Cash 5 jackpot on Sept. 20, he had a hard time believing it at first.“Then I texted my brother and said, ‘It looks like I’m a winner.’”
After federal and state tax withholdings, he brought home $71,750. He plans to invest and buy a new computer with his winnings.
Chelsea Carter
Chelsea Carter of Ocean Isle Beach celebrated her birthday by collecting over $600,000 from her jackpot win.
Carter, who cleans houses for a living, won the “Grand Fortune” jackpot on a $10 play in the Monopoly digital instant game.
“This is insane,” said Carter. “I’ve cried, I’ve laughed, it’s surreal.”
She claimed her prize on her 40th birthday, Sept. 12. After required tax withholdings, she took home $449,548.She plans on investing the money, buying land and using some of it as a safety net for her three kids.
Melinda Ratcliff
Melinda Ratcliff of Castle Hayne had luck on her side when a $5 scratch-off won her a $200,000 top prize.
Ratcliff’s lucky Double Your Money ticket was purchased from Circle K on North College Road in Wilmington, according to a news release from the North Carolina Education Lottery.
Ratcliff arrived at lottery headquarters to claim her prize and, after required tax withholdings, took home $143,501.
The Double Your Money game is a scratch-off game that debuted on First Tuesday with five top prizes of $200,000. Four $200,000 prizes remain to be claimed.
Robert Lee
A Pender County man knew exactly what he wanted to purchase after winning a $1 million top prize.
“I’m going to buy a new set of lawn mower blades,” Lee said. “That’s the only thing we really need.”
The Rocky Point resident bought his lucky $10 Emerald 10’s ticket from the Han-Dee Hugo’s on U.S. 117 South in Rocky Point.
He chose the lump sum of $600,000 and, tax withholdings, took home $430,503.
“We’ll just put it away and enjoy life,” Robert said.
Audrey Peele
The power of positive thinking paid off for Audrey Peele when a $20 scratch-off delivered the first $100,000 prize in a new lottery game.
The Wilmington resident bought her lucky Ruby Red 7’s ticket from the Scotchman on Country Club Road in Hampstead.
“I called my wife and told her I just won 100 grand,” Peele recalled. “She didn’t believe me because I kid with her a lot.”
After tax withholdings, Peele took home $71,756.
She plans to use her winnings to pay off her car.
John Watson
Only a few weeks after heart surgery, John Watson tried his luck on a new scratch-off game and instantly became the first winner of the top prize of $200,000.
The Brunswick County man said his win is “just the icing on the cake” to his smooth recovery, according to his wife, Lois.
He purchased his winning ticket (The 5 Times Lucky) from the Scotchman on Whiteville Road in Shallotte.
Watson took home $143,501 after taxes.
He plans to put his winnings toward additional healthcare and possibly a new truck.
Barry Spellman
A typical Monday morning for Barry Spellman morphed into one he will never forget when he won a $100,000 prize.
“I kind of freaked out,” the Wilmington man recalled. “I was shaking.”
Spellman bought his lucky ticket from the Han-Dee Hugo’s on Carolina Beach Road in Wilmington. He said he stops at Hugo’s every morning to get coffee and tickets.
Spellman, who took home $71,764, plans to use his winnings to pay bills, invest, and take a trip to Disney World with his wife.
David Meehling
David Meehling of Wilmington couldn’t believe his luck after a $1 Cash 5 ticket won him a $200,757 jackpot.
He bought his lucky ticket from the Masonboro Country Store on Masonboro Loop Road in Wilmington. His ticket matched all five numbers in the drawing to win the jackpot. The odds of matching numbers on all five balls are 1 in 962,598.
After tax withholdings, he took home $144,044. He planned to use the money to travel.
“We like to go on cruises,” he said. “This will make it a lot sweeter next time.”
Kyle Clouser
Kyle Clouser of Bolivia does not typically buy lottery tickets, but after receiving some scratch-offs as a birthday gift, he became inspired to try his own luck and got rewarded with a $1 million prize.
Clouser bought his lucky $10 Million Spectacular ticket from Han-Dee Hugo’s on Southport-Supply Road Southeast in Bolivia.
Clouser chose the lump sum of $600,000 and, after taxes, took home $430,514.
He planned to use his winnings to take care of his family.
“We have a three-year-old so this will help make things a little easier for us as a family,” Clouser said.
Gary Godwin
Gary Godwin of Shallotte tried his luck in a second-chance drawing and won the $1 million top prize.
Godwin, who won his prize in the Millionaire Maker drawing, chose the lump sum of $600,000 and, after tax withholdings, took home $430,500.
Terry Hansley
While Terry Hansley of Burgaw didn’t hit the homerun jackpot on his Powerball ticket, he did win a not-too-shabby $100,000 prize in the drawing on Saturday, Dec. 6.
Hansley’s lottery win was home grown, as he purchased his $3 ticket from the Walmart on N.C. 53 East in Burgaw.
Hansley traveled to the state lottery headquarters in Raleigh on Wednesday, Dec. 10 to collect his prize.
The ticket hit for $50,000 with a 2x Power Play multiplier, bringing the total winnings up to $100,000 dollars. After state and federal tax withholdings, Hansley took home $71,751.
(This story was updated to meet our standards.)
