"Because if it weren't for his numbers, I'd still have zero."
By Kate Northrop
RALEIGH, N.C. — A North Carolina lottery player is ready to give credit where credit is due after his friend suggests five lucky numbers that ended up winning him a share of a Carolina Cash 5 jackpot.
After asking five friends to share a set of their own five lucky numbers each, one friend's suggestion won Timothy Lingo of Hillsborough half the jackpot for last Wednesday's Carolina Cash 5 drawing worth $390,814.
"I said, 'Give me five numbers,'" he recalled telling his friend. "He gives me four, so I texted him back and said, 'Learn to count, bozo. I need one more.' And he gave me a number and that was it."
Those five lucky numbers were 7, 12, 15, 23, and 32. Lingo purchased the lucky ticket from the Sheetz convenience store on NC-86 South in Hillsborough and checked his numbers online the next day after work.
"I looked and said, 'Oh my god,'" he said. "So, I went and got my lottery ticket and it was his numbers. I just couldn't believe it."
After visiting Lottery headquarters on Friday to claim his prize, Lingo took home $138,254 after federal and state tax withholdings were withdrawn from his share of the jackpot worth $195,407. Having worked in commercial extermination for 30 years, he plans on paying off his home, saving up for the future, and donating his time and money to a youth camp.
"I volunteer at a youth camp, and we could use some stuff at the youth camp, so I'll a lot of it for that," he told the N.C. Lottery.
In return for his friend supplying the winning numbers, Lingo said he plans on buying him a brand new car.
"Because if it wasn't for his numbers, I'd still have zero," he said.
Drawings for Carolina Cash 5 tickets are held every night at 11:22 pm, with tonight's estimated jackpot valued at $292,000.
A good friend indeed.
NCEL makes me want to make that long drive to next state over to play!
I'm hoping to see one from our local area, soon.
Seem like alot of the same area(s) so i hope we seen real soon before year is out, my great area of Wilson!
or where i have few great friends living and a few co-workers etc., in a lovely part of
Rocky Mount.
Great another winner though, hence, congrats.
Cassie, I'm trying my best to represent....but NC don't want to cooperate!
I find it odd that someone would ask another player for their 5 lucky numbers. I wouldn't want anyone playing mine. I'd rather play them myself and hope no one else did. Play your own numbers. Not someone else's. Guy whose numbers got played must feel like a chump. I'd tell him to stick his car where the sun doesn't shine. He had the unmitigated gall to call him back for the last number. A much better story would have been if he refused to give him that last one and told him to pick his own 5th number and then went out and played his 5 which he hadn't intended to do.
Perhaps he has been using his numbers for so long & losing that he decided to try another's.
* Reminds me of a line in the movie " The negotiator"- Samuel L Jackson said " When your friends betray you, sometimes the only people you can trust are strangers."
Same difference though.
Nice that he wants to get a car for his friend. In my humble opinion, maybe he should ask his friend( perhaps by text message LOL) if he wants a car or a share of the money?
I plan to share with some people in my circle when I win, then they can decide what they want to buy with the money.
That would be fine if you won with your numbers not someone else's. The more I think about this I would have told the leech who was playing my numbers to buy an extra one for me since I cannot get to the store in time or something. I will repay you when I see you later. Of course he just probably didn't give it a thought thinking big deal it won't hit anyway so here are my secret numbers that i've been playing for 5 years and haven't won squat with. The whole thing seems out of whack. Especially the part where he called back for the 5th number. It is true he should have offered him the option of the cash or the car. Maybe he did. I hope he pays the tax to the registry or the excise tax which is heavy on a new one and not pull an Oprah whose audience got stuck with the taxes after her gift of a new car for everyone.
Thinking about getting him a car? Thinking? How about that and some cash... Remember u had zero
Hope i get lucky tonight.. Hope they fix it my way..
Numbers are not trademarked. If two strangers happen to have favorites to play it still doesn't make it their numbers .
It's nice to think personal numbers could be 'owned', yet it would be difficult to make a case.
This fellow followed thru on reciprocity.
Rather kind of him and commonly done amongst friends .
Congrats on the win!!
When there are multiple winners and they are strangers that is one thing and that is disturbing to each if they have to split the prize. But he committed a no-no. You do not knowingly play someone else's numbers. there are many people who know other people's numbers and play them but to have the gall to call him up and demand his numbers especially that 5th one is beyond reproach. I only wish the guy whose numbers they were played them also. Then he definitely would not be thrilled with the copy cat. It's one thing to do it with a daily number game but it is not cool to do it with large jackpots. sorry.
i do not know where you from, but it do happen often , people come to me all the time, you not a gambler.
You are so right Bigguy...you helped me a lot when I first joined LP and I learned from you.
Never asked about cash 5 but did with p3 for sure.
The man who gave him the numbers had a choice to play & if he could not get to the store
he could have figured out a way if he wanted to bad enough....the man is great for giving him
a car but like someone else said he may change his mind...don't think he's given it to him
yet...wish we could find out if he does or not.
You do not knowingly play someone else's numbers. there are many people who know other people's numbers and play them but to have the gall to call him up and demand his numbers especially that 5th one is beyond reproach.
All he had to do was say no if he didn't want his numbers played. If he can't just say no, he could easily come up with an excuse. I don't really have regular numbers.
There was another winner. Maybe his friend did play his own numbers. Can they stay anonymous in NC?