A staggering stroke of luck has swept over a North Carolina man, who was utterly astonished to learn he had bagged himself a colossal $212,500 from a Carolina Keno game—this figure stands as the grandest prize ever claimed in the game’s history. In a tale almost as extraordinary as the lottery itself, Richard Tyler Jr., from the city of Fayetteville, experienced a windfall that would leave him momentarily breathless and necessitating a pause to catch his breath and comprehend his newfound fortune.
“I had to sit down for a few minutes just to breathe,” Tyler shared with representatives from the North Carolina Lottery, as he recounted the crucial moments of unravelling his win.
The memorable event unfurled earlier in the year, on the 6th of February, when Tyler, who frequents Gray’s Creek BP for his regular dose of Keno, decided to partake in the game by purchasing a $20 ticket. His commitment to the game was such that he played for 10 shares, a move that would soon prove to be serendipitously life-changing. The staff at Gray’s Creek BP, familiar with his loyalty to the game, affectionately dubbed him ‘Keno,’ a nickname that now seems more fitting than ever.
In a display of near perfection, Tyler matched an impressive nine out of the ten numbers on his ticket—netting him a handsome sum of $4,250. But the universe had grander plans. With the roll of a 5X multiplier, Tyler’s modest prize skyrocketed to a jaw-dropping $212,500, setting off a whirlwind of emotions for the lucky Keno enthusiast.
“When I saw how many I matched, I was like, ‘Oh my gosh,'” Tyler exclaimed, recounting his reaction to the lottery officials. “I got kind of nervous.”
The enormity of his win was solidified three days later, on February 9, when he ventured to the lottery headquarters to claim his prize. After the requisite deductions for federal and state tax withholdings, Tyler had a net total of $151,943 that he could call his own.
In an act that elevates his story, Tyler expressed his intention to spread the joy of his winnings by sharing them with his eight siblings. “We are very tight knit and very close,” he informed the Lottery, reflecting on the strength of family bonds and the joy of being able to use his fortune to uphold them.
Carolina Keno, the source of Tyler’s riches, is a numbers game that invites players to select how many spots to play. A player’s chances and potential for victory are directly influenced by these choices, creating a game of both chance and strategy. As part of the game’s mechanics, twenty winning numbers are extracted from a stockpile of 80 during each draw, which occurs every four minutes. In total, aspirants of the game have 300 opportunities each day to grab cash prizes, much like Tyler did.
Winning the Carolina Keno 10 Spot game comes with odds of 1 in 9.05, a statistic that Tyler beat with life-changing results. While tickets are usually available for purchase at retail locations such as gas stations, convenience stores, and grocery shops, various territories within the United States also offer the convenience of online ticket purchases through Jackpocket, the USA TODAY Network’s official digital lottery courier.
Jackpocket democratizes the lottery experience, enabling users to select their preferred game, pick numbers, place orders, and even receive winnings all via a smartphone or home computer. This digital advance into the world of lotteries further underscores the accessibility and reach of games like Keno that hold the power to dramatically transform lives in an instant—as it did for the fortuitous Mr. Tyler.
