N.C. Jail Guard Claims $74.5M Lottery

RALEIGH, N.C. - A prison guard stepped forward briefly Friday to claim her $74.5 million Powerball jackpot before dashing off in a stretch SUV limousine.

Jackie Alston, 38, had quietly celebrated her win since the Nov. 29 drawing. She quit her job at a prison in neighboring Virginia and hired financial advisers.

"I've just been living normal," she said. "People have been noticing me, but they don't really know, you know, so it's just been fun."

Alston decided to take her prize in a lump sum , about $36 million before taxes. The single mom wouldn't say where she was headed or how she would spend the money.

Alston's ticket matched all five numbers , 2, 8, 9, 12 and 19 , and the Powerball , 25. She said the numbers represented the ages of children in her family.

Alston bought the ticket at a Shell gas station in Halifax County, near the Virginia border. She looked at her numbers only after hearing news reports that the winning ticket was sold in the county.

"I had to call my brother and have him check it two or three times," Alston said. "It was exciting. I mean it was just overwhelming."

About 30 states participate in Powerball, which was launched in North Carolina on May 30. Alston is the first Powerball jackpot winner in the state.