Johnston County woman surprised by $1M lottery prize: 'I won the big one'

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- A Johnston County woman is still wrapping her mind around it: She won $1 million.

Karina Goicochea of Willow Spring got a big surprise when she went to lottery headquarters on Thursday in Raleigh. She said she knew her $1,000,000 Cashword game ticket had won a big prize, but she did not realize just how large.

"We thought it was $10,000 to begin with," she laughed.

Turns out, she won $1 million, the top prize.

"Reality still hasn't hit me yet," she said. "I won the big one."

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Goicochea bought her winning ticket for $10 at the Zebulon BP on West Gannon Avenue.

"I just kept looking at it," she said.

Once told by lottery officials how much she had won, she had to choose between an annuity of $50,000 for 20 years or a lump sum of $600,000. She chose the lump sum, and, after required state and federal tax withholdings, took home $430,503.

Goicochea said she plans to invest her winnings.

The $1,000,000 Cashword game debuted in August with four top prizes of $1 million. One $1 million prize remains to be claimed.

Nash County woman scores $150,000 win

A Nash County woman said her husband always told her she was going to win a big scratch-off prize.

He was finally right.

"He always tells me, 'You're going to hit the big one, baby,'" Patricia Battle said. "He told me yesterday, too, before I got the ticket."

Battle, who lives in Nashville, won a $150,000 scratch-off prize on a $5 Super Loteria ticket.

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She bought the lucky ticket at EZ Stop on East Washington Street in Nashville.

"Something just told me to get that ticket," she said.

Battle said she was so nervous after she realized she won, she couldn't even drive home.

She collected her prize at lottery headquarters in Raleigh on Thursday and, after required tax withholdings, took home $107,626.

The Super Loteria game debuted in July with six $150,000 top prizes. Three $150,000 prizes remain to be claimed.