RALEIGH, NC – The Powerball jackpot has surged to $500 million for Saturday’s drawing, marking the third time this year it has hit half a billion dollars. The increase of over $35 million comes after no winner was announced in Wednesday’s drawing.
The winner has the option to claim the prize as a $500 million annuity or take a lump-sum payment of $242.4 million in cash.
North Carolina has seen a significant number of winners, with 19,831 tickets scoring prizes in Wednesday’s drawing alone. The current run of Powerball has generated an estimated $9.6 million for education in the state.
It’s been 21 consecutive drawings without a jackpot winner. The last jackpot was claimed on July 19, when a ticket purchased in California won $1.08 billion.
Tickets for the Powerball drawing can be purchased at any lottery retail location, as well as online through the lottery’s website or the NC Lottery Official Mobile App. The odds of winning the jackpot stand at 1 in 292 million.