The jackpot for Saturday night’s Powerball drawing now tops $200 million, offering its winner a prize of an estimated $222 million.
A winner in North Carolina could take home the jackpot as an annuity paying out the $222 million over 29 years or choose instead to take home $140.5 million in cash.
“Saturday night could be a life-changing event for some lucky winner and we hope that celebration happens in North Carolina,” said Mark Michalko, executive director of the N.C. Education Lottery. “In addition to the jackpot prize, remember there’s nine ways to win so check your ticket closely.”
The Powerball jackpot has been rolling since the Feb.14 drawing when a ticket sold in Connecticut won a $185.3 million jackpot. Powerball drawings now are held every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday and the odds of winning a jackpot are 1 in 292 million. Powerball tickets cost $2.
North Carolinians can buy Powerball tickets at any lottery retail location in the state. Tickets can also be purchased 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 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.