His craving for a cigar led Charlotte man to Harris Teeter — and a Powerball prize
A craving for a cigar led to a $1 million Powerball prize for a 62-year-old Charlotte man, state lottery officials said Friday.
John Gerenza decided to fork over $2 for a Quick Pick ticket when he stopped for a cigar at the Harris Teeter grocery store on South Tryon Street in Charlotte, according to a North Carolina Education Lottery news release.
The numbers on his ticket matched those on the five white balls in the July 16 drawing, 3, 18, 23, 32, 57.
Gerenza beat odds of 1 in 11.688 million, according to the Powerball site.
“Obviously I was ecstatic,” the 62-year-old Gerenza said when he claimed his prize at lottery headquarters in Raleigh on Thursday. “We still don’t believe it actually.”
After taxes, Gerenza took home $710,101, according to the lottery.
Gerenza told lottery officials he will take his family on a beach vacation but didn’t say what else he’ll do with his big win.
Gerenza couldn’t be reached by The Charlotte Observer on Friday. A phone number listed for him in public records is out of service. A manager at the Harris Teeter where he won the prize declined comment.
Saturday’s Powerball drawing has a $119 million jackpot, or $69.2 million in cash. The odds of winning a Powerball jackpot are 1 in 292 million.
Powerball is among four N.C. lottery games where players can buy tickets at retailers and on NCLottery.com and the lottery app. The others are Mega Millions, Lucky For Life and Carolina Cash 5.
The MegaMillions jackpot for Friday night stood at $660 million, with a $388 million cash option. That drawing will be held at 11 p.m.
The lottery raises an average $2.5 million a day for education, officials said Friday.
This story was originally published July 22, 2022 at 2:18 PM.