Burgaw man’s third Friday win brings $100,000 prize

RALEIGH, NC (NEWS RELEASE) – John Adinolfi, a lighting system service coordinator from Burgaw in Pender County, may limit his lottery ticket purchases to Fridays from now on. In 2009, he purchased a $200 Million Extravaganza ticket on a Friday and won $1,000. The following Friday, he purchased another and won $1,000 again. This past Friday, Adinolfi was on the way from a physical therapy appointment when he decided to stop at the Scotchman on N. 23rd Street in Wilmington to cash in another winning ticket. He decided to use his winnings to purchase a Black Pearls scratch-off ticket, which would go on to win the $100,000 top prize.

“All those zeroes,” Adinolfi said as he scratched his ticket. “You have got to be kidding me. I just kept looking at it and checking it over and over again.” He immediately told his wife, who only believed him when she saw the ticket for herself. Adinolfi said he felt “stunned” as he held his check for the first time.

“It’s real and it’s unbelievable,” he said. “This is going to help do a lot of good for a lot of people.” Adinolfi plans to use his winnings, worth $68,001 after taxes, to pay bills, remodel his home, share with family and help those in need.