Jan. 19 2015. Players trying their luck in this weekend’s jackpot games have two chances to win a nine-figure prize.
The Mega Millions jackpot has been on a roll for 20 straight drawings, and is now estimated at a $270 million annuity for Friday’s drawing. If won and claimed as a lump sum, it would be worth $177.3 million cash. Two North Carolina Mega Millions players have won jackpots ranging from $12 million to $57 million.
Saturday’s Powerball jackpot has climbed to an estimated $194 million annuity, worth $129.3 million cash. Wednesday marked the 13th straight Powerball drawing held without a winner since a player in Washington won the $90 million jackpot Nov. 29. North Carolina has had three Powerball jackpot winners who won between $74.5 million and $141.4 million.
Seven players won big prizes from $150,000 to $1 million playing lottery games this week.
The largest prize of the week went to Rachel Hoilman of Newland, who matched all five white balls but not the red Powerball in the Jan. 3 drawing to win $1 million. “It feels surreal to win something like this,” Hoilman said. “It’s a blessing. This money will help us and it will help others.”{Read More}
Carolina Cash 5 proved lucky for two players this week. Deborah Duncan of Charlotte says the $429,101 prize she won in the Jan. 8 drawing will shore up her retirement fund. {Read More} The second Cash 5 jackpot winner is Jack Grossman ofMooresville. He has played the same five numbers in Cash 5 for years and on Tuesday night they won him a $162,770 prize. {Read More}
The All or Nothing game proved lucky for Melvin Akers of China Grove, who won the game’s $250,000 top prize on his first time playing. He plans to use his winnings to pay off his mortgage, do some remodeling to his beach house and go fishing. The All or Nothing game awarded more than $542,000 in prizes to players this week. {Read More}
In Gaston County, a plumber from Dallas is the first player to win the $200,000 top prize in the new $200,000 Gold Rush game. Sydney Mitchell said he plans to use his winnings to save for retirement. {Read More}
Our last big win of the week went to Scotland County residents Tiffany Furr and Ashleigh Gibson, who say their good luck of winning $150,000 in the Golden 7’s game means new cars and more money for savings. {Read More}
From Jan. 9 through Jan. 15, lottery players across the state won more than $19.9 million in prizes. Instant players won more than $14.6 million and draw game players won more than $5.3 million. Tickets for North Carolina draw games – Pick 3, Pick 4, Cash 5 and All or Nothing – won more than $4.6 million. Since last weekend’s drawings, Mega Millions and Powerball players won more than $693,000 in prizes.
Carolina Pick 3 players collected more than $3 million in prizes this week, including $1.1 million in the Sunday day drawing when the winning numbers were 1-2-3.
Thirteen players scratched or matched for wins of $10,000 to $50,000. In alphabetical order by the winner’s hometown, they are:
Hometown Winner Prize Won Game Played/Draw Date
Alcolu, S.C. Jocelyn Barcinas $10,000 $200 Million Blowout
Buies Creek Arlene Cutler $10,000 Millionaire 7’s
Charlotte Johnie Thompson $10,000 $5,000 a Week for Life!
Clemmons Reginald Payne $10,000 Powerball / 1-10-15
Coats Shafter Roberts $30,000 $30,000 Payday!
Fayetteville Ronald Sykes $50,000 $50,000 Lucky Numbers
High Point Steven Campbell $20,000 $1,000,000 Jackpot
High Point Betty Robinson $10,000 $120 Million Cash
Hillsborough Calvin Areford $10,000 Golden 7’s
Kannapolis Linda Cope $10,000 Jumbo Jingle Bucks
Manteo Peter Kremser $10,000 Jumbo Jingle Bucks
Pinebluff Anita Cummings $50,000 $200 Million Blowout
Tyner Eugene Byrum $10,000 $120 Million Cash
Ticket sales have made it possible for the lottery to raise more than $3.5 billion for the state. Net proceeds will be used this year to help pay salaries of teachers and teacher assistants, for pre-kindergarten programs for at-risk four-year-olds, for school construction and repair, and need-based college scholarships and financial aid.
For details on how lottery funds have made a difference in each of North Carolina’s 100 counties, click on the “Where the Money Goes” tab on the lottery’s website.