Clerk's mistake leads to lottery jackpot for North Carolina woman

Nov. 27 (UPI) -- A North Carolina woman said a store clerk's mistake led to her winning $277,777 from a scratch-off lottery ticket.

Zerineia Carmichael of Goldsboro told North Carolina Education Lottery officials she stopped by her local Circle K to gas up her vehicle on Sunday and asked for a Carolina Panthers scratch-off ticket.

Carmichael said the clerk handed her a 777 scratch-off by mistake, but she decided to keep it.

"Normally I would have asked her to give me what I asked for," she said. "But something just said to keep the ticket."

Carmichael said she scratched the ticket off in her car.

"At first I thought I'd only won $7," Carmichael said. "But I kept scratching. I saw two 'sevens,' and then two more 'sevens.' I was in shock when I realized what I'd won. I'm very glad the clerk made a mistake and gave me this ticket."

Carmichael claimed her prize Monday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh, taking home $195,837 after taxes. She said she plans to use some of the money to buy her dream car: a white Toyota Corolla.