Kelvin Hardy of Whitakers took a chance on a $1 Cash 5 ticket and won a $327,875 jackpot.
Hardy purchased his lucky ticket using Online Play on the lottery’s website. He had one of two tickets that matched all five white balls in the March 3 drawing. One other player also matched all five balls so the two players split the $655,750 jackpot.
Hardy arrived at lottery headquarters Thursday to collect his prize and, after required state and federal tax withholdings, took home $233,611.
Cash 5 is one of six lottery games in North Carolina, including the newly added Pick 3 and Pick 4, where players have the option of buying their tickets through a retail location or Online Play, either through the lottery’s website or with the NC Lottery Official Mobile App.
Cash 5 tickets are $1 and drawings are held every night. The odds of winning a Cash 5 jackpot are 1 in 962,598. Friday’s jackpot is $120,000.
The N.C. Education Lottery’s Play Smart™ program educates and empowers North Carolinians to make smart decisions when they play the lottery. March is Problem Gambling Awareness Month and the lottery highlights Play Smart to help ensure when North Carolinians play the lottery it doesn’t become more than a game. Visit nclottery.com/PlaySmart to learn how the Play Smart program helps someone create a game plan to keep lottery play fun. If you or someone you know needs support, visit morethanagame.nc.gov/ for free, confidential help.