Big prize means no more mortgage for Rowan County woman

Published 7:30 pm Thursday, May 9, 2019

Patricia Overcash of China Grove has won the last top prize in the $200,000 Back Scratch game of the N.C. Education Lottery.

The Back Scratch family of tickets was launched in September, ranging from $1 to $10 and offering top prizes from $10,000 to $1 million.

“When I saw I had won, gosh, I just couldn’t believe it,” said Overcash. “I feel very lucky. I’m going to pay off the house.”

Overcash sent her son to Bostian Heights Grocery on N.C. 152 in China Grove on Monday to buy some tickets to play together. When he returned home, they scratched the $5 ticket and saw they had won $200,000.

“Our whole family is in shock,” she said. “Happy, but in shock. My son took a picture of the ticket and sent it to my husband, and he couldn’t believe it either. He kept calling to check if it was real.”

The disbelief and joy continued when they called her daughter to tell her the news.

“She was at work and started hooting and hollering,” said Overcash. “Her job thought something was wrong.”

After required state and federal tax withholdings, Overcash took home $141,501.

Since this was the final top prize to be claimed in the $200,000 Back Scratch game, the lottery will begin taking steps to end the game.