Donna Gray wins $1.94 million on first online North Carolina lottery game

Mount Pleasant resident Donna Gray won a $1,939,727 jackpot on her first online North Carolina lottery game, according to UPI. Gray told North Carolina Education Lottery officials that the winning play was her first try at a Digital Instant game.

Gray picked PowerMax Cash on Aug. 1 and landed the jackpot on a $1 play, UPI reported.

What did Donna Gray win in the North Carolina lottery?

Gray won $1,939,727 in the PowerMax Cash Digital Instant game. The first-time claim applies to online lottery games: she told officials that she had bought scratch-off tickets over the years.

Gray said she initially expected a far smaller result as the game display continued to roll. She then hurried to tell her husband that she had won big, she told lottery officials.

Her husband did not believe the news at first, Gray said. She said it took the pair a couple of days to take in the result.

Gray said she plans to put the winnings into savings.

UPI reported the win on Oct. 29, 2026, citing the North Carolina Education Lottery and Gray’s account.

This story draws on original reporting from UPI.