NC Lottery $20 scratch-off tickets debut in stores

RALEIGH -- North Carolina Education Lottery players have to pony up more if they want the chance to win a part of the lottery's largest payout ever for an instant scratch-off game. The lottery's first $20 scratch-off ticket was expected in stores Tuesday for what's called the $200 Million Extravaganza game. There are more than 1.4 million prizes available, with five top prizes of $3 million, ten of $1 million and more than 12,000 prizes between $1,000 and $100,000. The million-dollar prizes will be paid in 20-year installments. The lottery says the overall odds of winning of 1 in 2.65 are also the best for an instant ticket since first being sold in 2006. (Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)