GASTONIA — A craving for Shirley Temple 7Up – yes, it’s a thing– resulted in a local man winning six figures in the North Carolina Education Lottery.
Albert Clinton Jr. said a hankering for the pomegranate and cherry flavored soda compelled him to stop at the S’Mart in Gastonia on Sunday, November 9, lottery officials said in a news release.
He added a $2 Bingo Bucks Fast Play ticket to his purchase “and left with his mocktail and a bubbly $114,614 jackpot,” lottery officials said.
“At the time of his purchase, the jackpot stood at $573,070. Since Clinton bought a $2 ticket, he received 20% of the progressive jackpot,” lottery officials said.
Clinton picked up his prize at lottery headquarters Nov. 13, and the winnings came to $82,236 after required state and local tax withholdings, lottery officials said.
“It was an unreal feeling,” Clinton told lottery officials. His plan is to use the money for bills and to “have a good Christmas with his family.”
Fast Play games feature a jackpot that continues to grow with every ticket sold and winners get 20% of the jackpot
The odds of winning the 20% share are 1 in 320,000, the game rules say.
And for anyone considering getting a Shirley Temple 7Up, a review in Taste of Home says: “This blissful, bubbly beverage manages to be fruity and refreshing without being overly sweet. It’s also pretty — a sparkling bright red that looks great when poured over ice.”
Gastonia is about a 25-mile drive west from uptown Charlotte.
By MARK PRICE/Chorlotte Observer