RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- After years of playing the same numbers, a Raleigh man's dream came true after he drew the numbers 8-8-8-8 in the Pick 4 lottery.
"I almost gave up a couple times but I'm glad I didn't," Abdellatif Tlili told the NC Education Lottery. "It was my dream to win."
Tlili purchased 20 $1 tickets for the Jan. 12 afternoon Pick 4 drawing. The drawing's top prize was $5,000 per ticket giving Tlili a combined total of $100,000 for his prize.
The lottery said the drawing had its most ever won in a single drawing producing $12.2 million in prizes for players.
"I was with my wife and kids when we found out," Tlili said. "We all started jumping up and down."
Tlili said he played 8-8-8-8 because of advice from an old friend.
"She told me to keep playing the 8's," he said. "I had told her I won with 8-8-8 playing Pick 3 and she said I should just add one more 8 and do Pick 4."
After required state tax withholdings Tlili took home $95,751. He said he plans to use his winnings to help take care of his children.
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