NORTH CAROLINA — A Charlotte woman is celebrating a big lottery win after a $20 scratch-off ticket earned her a $100,000 prize.
Karen Stokes of Charlotte purchased a winning $2 Million Vault ticket from the Harris Teeter on Lancaster Highway in Charlotte. After revealing the prize, Stokes said the experience was emotional.
“I got a little teary-eyed,” Stokes said.
Stokes described the win as a blessing.
“It’s a blessing,” Stokes said.
She visited lottery headquarters Friday to claim her prize. After required federal and state tax withholdings, Stokes took home $72,016.
The $2 Million Vault scratch-off game debuted in May 2025 and originally featured three top prizes of $2 million and six $100,000 prizes. According to the North Carolina Education Lottery, one $2 million top prize and two $100,000 prizes remain unclaimed.
Lottery officials said education programs in Mecklenburg County received $60 million in support from lottery funds last year. Additional information about lottery-funded education projects across North Carolina is available through the North Carolina Education Lottery website.
