Shallotte resident claims final top prize in Double Your Money scratch-off game
Shallotte, NC — A Brunswick County man says a $200,000 scratch-off prize arrived at exactly the right moment, calling the unexpected windfall “a big blessing” for his family.
Belton Leonard of Shallotte told a representative from the North Carolina Education Lottery that he was still in disbelief the morning after buying his winning Double Your Money ticket. He said he checked the ticket again when he woke up just to make sure he hadn’t imagined the result.
Leonard purchased the $5.00 ticket at Minuteman Food Mart on Holden Beach Road Southwest in Shallotte. He said he made a point to thank the store clerk who sold it to him, joking that she had become his “good luck charm.”
He arrived at lottery headquarters Friday to claim the prize. After required state and federal tax withholdings, he received $144,021.
Leonard said the timing of the win could not have been better. He plans to use the money for home renovations and to purchase a new car.
The Double Your Money game debuted in August 2025 with five top prizes of $200,000. Leonard’s win claimed the final top prize, and lottery officials say the game will now begin the process of ending.
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