North Carolinians can now play for a Powerball jackpot in the New Year’s Day drawing that climbed on Thursday to half a billion dollars.
The estimated Powerball jackpot jumped $17 million, from $483 million to $500 million, Thursday due to increased sales this week as people across the nation bought tickets for the drawing. A winner could choose the $500 million annuity or take home $355.9 million in cash.
“This size of a jackpot makes New Year’s Day 2022 quite exciting,” said Mark Michalko, executive director of the N.C. Education Lottery. “That excitement leads to more sales and more sales leads to more money that the lottery will raise this year for education. As you join the fun, play smart and remember it only takes one ticket to win.”
The Powerball jackpot has been rolling since the Oct. 4 drawing when a ticket sold in California won a $699.8 million jackpot, the 5th largest in game history. Powerball drawings now are held every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday and the odds of winning a jackpot are 1 in 292 million. The last time Powerball had a drawing on New Year’s Day was in 2020.
The Powerball jackpot is not the only major jackpot up for grabs this holiday weekend.
On Friday, New Year’s Eve, a winner in the Mega Millions drawing would receive a $221 million jackpot as an annuity, or $159.6 million cash.
The Mega Millions jackpot was also last won in October when an Arizona family won a $108 million jackpot. Mega Millions drawings are held every Tuesday and Friday and the odds of winning a jackpot are 1 in 302 million.
Players can buy Powerball or Mega Millions tickets at any lottery retail location or through Online Play on the lottery’s website, www.nclottery.com, and with the NC Lottery Official Mobile App.
Ticket sales from draw games such as Powerball and Mega Millions help make it possible for the lottery to raise more than $900 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.