At a Glance
- Yolanda Black of Charlotte scored $100,000 on a $20 Stacks of Cash scratch-off
- She bought the ticket days after closing on her first house
- After taxes she collected $72,016 and plans to furnish the new space
- Why it matters: Her timing turns a major expense into an instant cushion
Yolanda Black’s new-home excitement doubled when a spur-of-the-moment lottery purchase turned into a six-figure windfall. The Charlotte resident, who had just signed papers on her first house, scratched her way to the $100,000 top prize in the North Carolina Lottery’s brand-new Stacks of Cash game.
The Ticket That Changed Everything
Black picked up the $20 ticket at Cigarettes & More on Pineville-Matthews Road in Pineville while running errands. She had no strategy-just a feeling.
“Someone told me, ‘New home, new money,’ ” she recalled in the Jan. 13 lottery release.
She scratched the ticket in the car, saw the match, and raced home.
“I jumped for joy, then I told my husband,” she said.
First Big Winner in a Fresh Game
Stacks of Cash debuted in 2026, and Black became its first $100,000 claimant. State records show five more $100,000 prizes and three $2 million prizes still waiting to be revealed.
After mandatory federal and state withholdings, Black collected $72,016. She told News Of Losangeles she will channel every dollar back into the house that started her lucky streak.
From Closing Costs to Couches
The timing erased weeks of budget stress. Black and her husband had stretched to cover the down payment, so furniture shopping was on hold.
Now she plans to buy:
- Living-room and bedroom sets
- A dining table that seats six
- Patio furniture for the back deck
- A washer-dryer pair
“We can make it feel like home instead of camping,” she told lottery officials.
Key Takeaways
- A single $20 ticket turned into $100,000 for a first-time homeowner
- After taxes, Black banked $72,016-enough to furnish the entire house
- Five more $100,000 prizes and three $2 million prizes remain in the new Stacks of Cash game
