Albert Clinton Jr. said a hankering for a pomegranate and cherry flavored soda, compelling him to visit the S’Mart in Gastonia, the N.C. Education Lottery said in a news release.
Street View image from Sept. 2023. © 2025 Google
A craving for Shirley Temple 7Up – yes, it’s a thing– resulted in a Gastonia man winning six figures in the North Carolina Education Lottery.
Albert Clinton Jr. said a hankering for the pomegranate and cherry flavored soda compelled him to stop at the S’Mart in Gastonia on Sunday, Nov. 9, lottery officials said in a news release.
He added a $2 Bingo Bucks Fast Play ticket to his purchase “and left with his mocktail and a bubbly $114,614 jackpot,” lottery officials said.
“At the time of his purchase, the jackpot stood at $573,070. Since Clinton bought a $2 ticket, he received 20% of the progressive jackpot,” lottery officials said.
Clinton picked up his prize at lottery headquarters Nov. 13, and the winnings came to $82,236 after required state and local tax withholdings, lottery officials said.
“It was an unreal feeling,” Clinton told lottery officials.
His plan is to use the money for bills and to “have a good Christmas with his family.”
Fast Play games feature a jackpot that continues to grow with every ticket sold and winners get 20% of the jackpot
The odds of winning the 20% share are 1 in 320,000, the game rules say.
And for anyone considering getting a Shirley Temple 7Up, a review in Taste of Home says: “This blissful, bubbly beverage manages to be fruity and refreshing without being overly sweet. It’s also pretty — a sparkling bright red that looks great when poured over ice.”
Gastonia is about a 25-mile drive west from uptown Charlotte.
Mark Price
The Charlotte Observer
Mark Price is a National Reporter for McClatchy News. He joined the network of newspapers in 1991 at The Charlotte Observer, covering beats including schools, crime, immigration, LGBTQ issues, homelessness and nonprofits. He graduated from the University of Memphis with majors in journalism and art history, and a minor in geology.
