Soda Stop Wins Cleveland County Woman $1 Million Prize

CLEVELAND COUNTY, N.C. (News Release) — Wyshena Crank of Shelby made a quick stop for a soda last week and walked out with the latest $1 million Platinum 7s top prize.

“I stopped at the store to get something to drink,” she recalled. “And I thought, ‘Well, might as well try a scratch-off!’”

Crank, who is celebrating her 10-year work anniversary as a retail supervisor, purchased her winning $10 ticket from the One Stop Shop on South Main Street in Shelby.

“I walked out of the store and got in the car and I scratched it and couldn’t believe it,” she said. “I finally looked at it two more times and then I just started crying.”

She claimed her prize Friday at lottery headquarters in Raleigh.

Crank had the choice of taking the $1 million prize as an annuity of $50,000 a year for 20 years or a lump sum of $600,000. She chose the lump sum of $600,000 and took home $424,503 after required federal and state tax withholdings.

“It feels great,” said Crank of her big win. “I’ve had some repairs I’ve been trying to do to my grandmother’s house and since I won $1 million, I can buy her a brand new one now.”

Platinum 7s launched this month with five top prizes of $1 million. Three top prizes remain to be won.

Ticket sales from scratch-offs like Platinum 7s make it possible for the lottery to raise more than $725 million a year for education. For details on how $6.1 million raised by the lottery made a difference in Cleveland County last year, visit www.nclottery.com and click on the “Impact” section.