A Pact Between Siblings Comes to Fruition with $200,000 Lottery Win

A tale of loyalty and good fortune unfolded in North Carolina recently, when a longstanding pact between a brother and sister came to fruition in the form of a $200,000 lottery win. This story proves that sometimes, luck is not just about chance but also about honoring commitments.

An Agreement Made Years Ago

Once upon a time in North Carolina, siblings Ivan Barrett from Goldston and Beverly Berryman from Sanford made an agreement. They pledged that if either of them ever won the lottery, they would share the prize money. "We always had a pact between us," Barrett informed the North Carolina Lottery. Little did they know that this pact would one day lead to an unexpected windfall for both of them.

The Lucky Break

Berryman's fidelity to their agreement was put to the test when she bought a lottery ticket that turned out to be worth $200,000. The moment she discovered her win, she was left stunned. "I was in shock," she recounted upon seeing the result.

True to their pact, Berryman immediately called her brother to share the news. "I was like, 'You can't believe this,'" she said. "I had to show it to him." Both siblings then headed to the Lottery headquarters in Raleigh to claim their winnings.

Sharing the Prize Money

In line with their agreement, Berryman and Barrett decided to split the prize down the middle. Each of them claimed a neat sum of $100,000 and took home $72,011 each after state and federal taxes were deducted.

With her share of the winnings, Berryman plans on carrying out some renovations on her house. On the other hand, Barrett intends to use his winnings to pay off his car. Their story is a testament to the power of loyalty and shared dreams.

Remaining Prizes

The siblings won the second top prize of $200,000 in the $5 "Cash King" scratch-off game. This leaves two more top prizes remaining to be won. There are also six second-tier prizes of $10,000 and 30 third-tier prizes of $1,000 left to be claimed. The game, which was launched in January, offers an overall winning chance of 1 in 4.32.

This heartwarming tale serves as a reminder that sometimes, luck is not just a matter of chance but also about honoring commitments and sharing good fortune with loved ones.