RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- Two North Carolinians who turned their backs on their Mega Millions tickets after last month's $640 million jackpot drawing aren't walking away empty handed.

The North Carolina Education Lottery says Wylie A. Turner of Jacksonville left his tickets in his change jar until he picked up the newspaper four days later to find he'd won, Turner's ticket matched the five white balls drawn on March 30 and won $250,000.

Ronnie C. Richardson of Zebulon watched the drawing, saw that none of his tickets matched the Mega Ball number and went to bed. He returned to the store where he bought the tickets, and the owner told him to check again since another customer had won $250,000.

When Richardson checked, the terminal told him to claim his $250,000 at lottery headquarters.