North Carolinians have the chance on Wednesday night to win a $490 million Powerball jackpot, the 10th largest in the history of the game.
The Powerball jackpot has climbed to the highest amount since January, growing bigger each drawing since June 5. If someone won Wednesday’s jackpot, they could take home either the $490 million annuity or a lump sum of $355.1 million.
“It’s exciting to see the Powerball jackpot make the Top 10 list,” said Mark Michalko, executive director of the N.C. Education Lottery. “North Carolina has had five Powerball jackpot wins so far. We’re only one ticket away from our sixth.”
As the amount of the jackpot rises, North Carolinians are winning other big prizes. Since June 5, one North Carolinian won a $2 million prize with a $3 Power Play ticket and two others have taken home a $1 million prize. All three tickets matched all five of the white balls in a drawing.
The odds of winning a Powerball jackpot are 1 in 292 million.
Players can buy Powerball or Mega Millions tickets through Online Play on the lottery’s website, www.nclottery.com, with the NC Lottery Official Mobile App, or at any lottery retail location.
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.