Avery County woman will use $466,415 win to help people affected by Helene

Tracy Bell of Banner Elk wants to give back to her community after she won a $466,415 jackpot playing a digital instant game.

“Everyone around here has been through a lot lately,” she said. “I want to help some friends who lost a lot in the storm.”

Bell played a $10 ticket on Sunday and won the top level ‘Epic jackpot’ in the Wheel of Bonuses game, a digital instant game featuring a progressive jackpot that can be won at any time. The odds of that win are 1 in 3.1 million.

“It was pretty amazing,” she said.

Bell said she has trouble sleeping so she likes playing the Wheel of Bonuses game at night.

“It was pretty late, so I thought I was dreaming,” Bell laughed recalling her winning moment.

She claimed her prize Thursday at lottery headquarters and, after required federal and state tax withholdings, took home $334,656.

Bell said in addition to helping with the Tropical Storm Helene relief effort, she will look at buying a new car.

In the Wheel of Bonuses digital instant game, a player can play from 50 cents to $30. After Bell won the jackpot, it restarted at $50,000 and has grown to over $104,000 as of Thursday morning.

Digital instant games are played exclusively online on the lottery’s website or on the NC Lottery Official Mobile App. Forty-one different games are available to play online now.

The N.C. Education Lottery’s Play Smart™ program helps North Carolinians make the most of their lottery play. Visit ncplaysmart.com to learn about all things lottery, from tips on how odds work to how to enter bonus drawings. If you or someone you know needs support, visit morethanagame.nc.gov/ for free, confidential help.