A North Carolina Man Almost Cried After a $250,000 Win on 500X The Cash
A North Carolina man got a jolt on his morning commute. Kevin Pavel of Clayton was on his way to work when he stopped for a $50 500X The Cash scratch-off, and the ticket turned into a $250,000 prize.
"It was amazing," Pavel recalled. "I was about to cry." He bought the winning ticket on Monday at Bull Market on Airport Boulevard in Morrisville, and summed it up simply: "It was a good hit."
His wife took some convincing. "She didn't believe me," Pavel said. "I had to show her a picture of the ticket." He headed to lottery headquarters the same day to claim the prize, and plans to put the money toward bills and retirement savings.
Why $250,000 became $180,039
Pavel walked out with $180,039, not the full $250,000. This was not an annuity-versus-lump-sum decision. A $250,000 scratch-off prize is paid in full, but state and federal taxes are withheld up front, and that withholding is what brought the check down to $180,039. Depending on his total income for the year, the final tax bill could differ from what was withheld. We explain how that works in how lottery winnings are taxed.
The game he was playing
Pavel picked a strong ticket. 500X The Cash is a $50 game we rate 91.4 on our ValueScore™, firmly in our Excellent range, with an 82.4% payout percentage and overall odds of 1 in 3.33, meaning better than one in three tickets wins something. It is one of the best-scoring games in the country right now.
The game debuted in January with five top prizes of $10 million and ten prizes of $250,000. Pavel's win was one of those $250,000 hits, and even after it, all five $10 million top prizes and seven of the $250,000 prizes are still unclaimed. In other words, the biggest money is entirely on the board. You can see which North Carolina games still have their top prizes in our roundup of North Carolina scratch-offs with the most top prizes left, or check 500X The Cash's live numbers any time on our North Carolina page.
Sources
North Carolina Education Lottery: Johnston County man almost cried after $250,000 win
Frequently Asked Questions
How much did the 500X The Cash winner take home?
Kevin Pavel won a $250,000 prize and, after required state and federal tax withholdings, took home $180,039. Unlike a jackpot cash option, the full $250,000 was the prize; the reduction was taxes.
Does 500X The Cash still have top prizes left?
Yes. The game launched with five $10 million top prizes and ten $250,000 prizes. As of this win, all five $10 million prizes and seven $250,000 prizes were still unclaimed.
Is 500X The Cash a good scratch-off?
It is one of the strongest we track. The $50 game rates 91.4 on our ValueScore, in the Excellent range, with an 82.4% payout percentage and overall odds of 1 in 3.33.
Jessie Jurado covers consumer lottery topics with a focus on odds, value, and the math most players never see. She believes nobody should buy a scratch ticket without knowing what they're actually getting for their money.
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