RALEIGH, N.C. — North Carolina lottery players have a chance to win the biggest Powerball jackpot of the year this Saturday, with a massive $565 million prize at stake.
The winner can choose between the full $565 million paid out as an annuity over 30 years or an immediate cash payment of $258.8 million before taxes.
“We have not seen a Powerball jackpot this large in over a year,” said Mark Michalko, chief executive officer of the N.C. Education Lottery. “What an amazing opportunity for some lucky North Carolinian to win a life-changing prize on Saturday. Good luck.”
Saturday’s drawing represents the largest jackpot available to players since April 6, 2024, when an Oregon resident claimed a record-breaking $1.3 billion Powerball prize.
Recent North Carolina Winner
While the jackpot continues to grow, North Carolina players are already seeing success. One lucky ticket sold through Online Play in Henderson matched four white balls and the red Powerball in Wednesday’s drawing, earning the holder $50,000.
The Wednesday drawing generated significant activity across the state, with 26,150 winning tickets at various prize levels sold to North Carolina players.
Educational Impact
The current Powerball run has generated an estimated $10.3 million for North Carolina’s educational programs, according to lottery officials. These funds support education initiatives across all 100 counties in the state.
How to Play
Players can purchase Powerball tickets at any authorized lottery retailer throughout North Carolina, online at www.nclottery.com, or through the NC Lottery Official Mobile App. Each ticket costs $2.
The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot remain 1 in 292 million, regardless of the prize amount.
Powerball drawings are held every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time. Saturday’s drawing will determine whether North Carolina produces its next multimillionaire or if the jackpot continues to climb.
For detailed information about how lottery proceeds benefit education in each North Carolina county, players can visit the “Impact” section of the state lottery’s website.
