National jackpots continue to climb this summer with both Mega Millions and Powerball offering prizes that top $300 million in this week’s drawings.
Tuesday’s Mega Millions jackpot stands at a $328 million annuity that is worth $186.3 million in cash. Powerball’s jackpot climbed to $365 million, or $207.5 million cash, for Wednesday’s drawing.
As North Carolinians try their luck at a life-changing jackpot, they are winning other big prizes.
Two big wins occurred in Saturday’s Powerball drawing. A $3 Power Play ticket sold at the Breeze Thru on East Street in Pittsboro won $150,000 and a ticket sold at Hawkins Convenience Mart & Grill on Oxford Road in Rougemont won $50,000. In Monday’s Powerball drawing, a ticket sold at the Food Lion on Cross Link Road in Raleigh won $50,000.
All three tickets matched four of the white balls and the red Powerball in the drawings to win $50,000. The value of the $3 ticket tripled when the 3X multiplier was drawn. The odds of matching four white balls and the red Powerball are 1 in 913,000.
“Those are big prizes for North Carolinians to win,” said Mark Michalko, executive director of the N.C. Education Lottery. “Some prizes make your day or week. Some like those make for a great year. And some like these jackpots can change your life. Good luck in this week’s drawings.”
The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are 1 in 292 million. The odds of winning a Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 302.5 million.
Players can try their luck and buy Powerball or Mega Millions tickets at any lottery retail location or through Online Play on the lottery’s website, www.nclottery.com.
Ticket sales from draw games 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.