Parkton Woman Takes Home $343,000 In North Carolina Instant Win Lottery Game

Congratulations to Carletta Woodall of Robeson County, who recently won over $343,000 with the North Carolina Education Lottery!

Carletta's major cash win came on the night of July 11, when she decided to put $1 on the Bison Bonanza digital instant game while relaxing at her home in Parkton. Bison Bonanza features a progressive jackpot that can be won at anytime, even right before bed in Carletta's case.

In order to win one of the Bison Bonanza progressive jackpots, the player must match five or more symbols in the game. The odds of winning the jackpot is approximately 1 in 31 million, which makes Carletta's win that much more impressive.

In an NC Lottery news release, Carletta explained her shock when she realized she had won. "When the numbers kept going up, I was like, 'No way'," she said. "You can imagine how shocked I was."

She claimed her prize the following Tuesday at the lottery headquarters. After required federal and state tax withholdings, Carletta brought home over $245,000 in lottery winnings.

It didn't take her long to figure out what to do with her cash prize either. Carletta detailed that she plans to pay for home repairs and take a trip to Las Vegas. Hopefully her lucky streak will follow her to the gambling capitol of the world!

Of course the digital instants aren't the only games with a major payout on the line. The Powerball jackpot is now up to $114 million, with the next drawing coming up on Wednesday, July 24.

The Mega Millions jackpot is also up to a staggering $279 million, with a cash payout of $131.1 million on the line. The next Mega Millions drawing takes place Tuesday, July 23.

The state provided over $59 million in grants, using money raised by the lottery, to help Robeson County build a new career and technology high school. For details on other ways Robeson County benefits from lottery funds, visit the “Impact” section of NC Lottery's website.

Gambling problem? Call the NC Problem Gambling hotline at 877-718-5543. You can also visit www.morethanagame.nc.gov for more information.

Playing harmless office pranks can have several benefits for workplace morale and culture when done appropriately! My current workplace is constantly trying to "out -prank" each other and the shenanigans reach epic proportions. It's inspiring really. But it turns out, pranking is the way to go for a happy and healthy working environment. Some benefits to this practice include:

However, it's crucial that any pranks follow ground rules to keep things appropriate for the workplace:

- No damaging property

- No major disruptions to work

- No causing injuries

- Only prank those who enjoy it

- Avoid anything discriminatory or crossing lines

When used judiciously, clever and harmless pranks can meaningfully improve office culture and employee satisfaction. The key is moderation and knowing your audience!

Place labels that say "Voice Activated [Device Name]" on commonly used office equipment like the coffee machine, microwave, copier, and printer. Then sit back and watch as your coworkers try to operate them with voice commands. 

For wired mice, simply unplug them. For wireless mice, place a small piece of tape over the sensor on the bottom to render them inoperable. Watch as your coworkers struggle to figure out why their mouse suddenly stopped working.

Whenever a coworker steps away from their desk, change their desktop background image to something funny or unexpected. Deny any knowledge of how it happened when they ask.

Place action figures, LEGO minifigs, or other small toys around a coworker's desk and workspace when they're not around. The more the merrier!

Dip onions in caramel (and optionally red food coloring), put in popsicle sticks, and leave them out for unsuspecting coworkers to bite into, expecting a sweet treat.

Print out a large enthusiastic photo of Nicolas Cage and attach it under the toilet seat for a startling bathroom break.

Attach an airhorn behind a door so it blasts whenever someone opens it. Perfect for getting everyone's attention when entering a meeting.

Leave cryptic post-it notes on coworkers' desks telling them to urgently call another colleague about an "evaluation" or "meeting". Hilarity ensues as confusion spreads.

Add googly eyes to a coworker's baby photos on their desk or to everything in the office fridge for a silly surprise.

Individually wrap a coworker's desk items, from their chair to paper clips, while they're out. Unwrapping will keep them busy for a while!