The Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots add up to nearly $1 billion dollars, giving North Carolinians two chances to take home a life-changing jackpot in this weekend’s drawings.

The estimated annuity jackpot for Friday’s Mega Millions drawing is $520 million. If won, it would be the 8th-largest jackpot in the game’s history. The estimated cash value is $383.4 million. The odds of winning a Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 302.5 million.

North Carolinians also have a chance at a big jackpot win in Saturday’s Powerball drawing. The jackpot for Saturday’s drawing stands at an estimated $470 million as an annuity prize, or $362.7 million cash.

If won, this would be the 10th largest jackpot in Powerball game history. The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are 1 in 292 million.

Both games offer nine ways to win. As North Carolinians try to win the jackpots, some are winning other big prizes:

• A $20,000 Mega Millions prize was won in Tuesday’s drawing with a $3 Megaplier ticket purchased through Online Play.
• A $150,000 prize and a $50,000 prize were won in Wednesday’s Powerball drawing. The $3 Power Play ticket that won $150,000 was sold at The Scotchman on Wrightsville Avenue in Wilmington and the ticket that won $50,000 was sold at the Circle K on Market Street in Wilmington.

“It’s great to see North Carolinians winning big prizes in our Mega Millions and Powerball games,” said Mark Michalko, executive director of the N.C. Education Lottery. “While these two jackpots are exciting to see, remember that it only takes one ticket to win.”

Mega Millions and Powerball have combined jackpots of nearly $1 billion for the Friday and Saturday drawings. This is the highest the combined jackpots have been since October 2018.

Players can buy $2 Powerball or Mega Millions tickets at any lottery retail location, through Online Play on the lottery’s website, www.nclottery.com, or by using the NC Lottery Official Mobile App.

Ticket sales from draw games make it possible for the lottery to raise more than $725 million a year for education. For details on how lottery funds have made a difference in all of North Carolina’s 100 counties, click on the “Impact” section of the lottery’s website.