"I have a fear of missing out when it's a big pot," said Shawn Gallagher, of Franklinton.
Gallagher spent $1 to buy a quick-pick ticket online. It paid off in a big way, as he won the $539,813 top prize by matching all five balls.
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The odds of matching all five were 1 in 962,598.
He told his wife after he got the notification that he won.
"She wanted to kiss me," he said with a laugh.
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Gallagher went to lottery headquarters in Raleigh on Tuesday to claim his prize. After required federal and state tax withholdings, he took home $387,317.
He said he plans to use his winnings to pay some bills and pay off his mortgage.
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