Perfect timing: North Carolina man wins $100K prize before birth of first child

Timing is everything. A soon-to-be first-time father in North Carolina does not have to worry about the cost of diapers or baby formula.

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Midnight changing and feedings will still be stressful, but winning a $100,000 lottery scratch-off ticket makes life a little easier.

Douglas Hurlock, of Havelock, bought a $25 scratch-off Spectacular Riches ticket and won the big prize, which he collected on Thursday, according to a news release from NC Education Lottery.

“Now my child’s medical care will be taken care of when he’s born,” Hurlock said in a statement.

The Spectacular Riches ticket was actually Hurlock’s second choice, WNCT-TV reported. His first choice was sold out.

He bought the winning ticket at a Speedway store in Havelock, lottery officials said.

“I gave it to my wife to look at because I didn’t believe I was seeing what I was seeing,” Hurlock told lottery officials.

After deducting state and federal taxes, Hurlock, who works at the Billfish Grill & Bar in Indian Beach, took home a lump sum of $71,017.

That will be plenty of cash to offset the medical and care costs for his child. His wife, Amanda Hurlock, is due in November.