Powerball jackpot reaches $700 million, fifth largest in history

RALEIGH, NC (WWAY) — The Powerball jackpot for Wednesday’s drawing continues its surge.

It has just hit $700 million, the fifth largest in the 30-year history of the game, and the eighth largest in U.S. lottery history.

“In the last five years we have only seen one other Powerball jackpot cross the $700 million mark,” NC Education Lottery executive director Mark Michalko said. “The beauty of the Powerball game is that it only takes one $2 ticket to win that life-changing prize.”

As North Carolinians try their luck going for the jackpot, they continue to win lots of other Powerball prizes. Almost 40,000 players took home prizes in Monday’s drawing and one lucky winner matched four white balls and the red Powerball to win $50,000. The winning ticket came from Carlie C’s IGA on North Raleigh Street in Angier in Harnett County.

The Powerball jackpot has already been won five times this year. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292 million.