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Tag: Lottery

  • Florida Lottery Lists Its Top Winners for November 2025

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    The Florida Lottery has announced its biggest winners for November 2025, which included three separate players who won $1 million each. The players’ names were released 90 days after they won, in accordance with Florida law.  

    Arcadia Scratch-Off Ticket Fan Secured $1M

    On February 24, the Florida Lottery announced that three players won seven-figure prizes in November, with all opting to receive their winnings as a one-time lump sum.

    The first of the two was Milton Shackleford, 45, of Arcadia. The player in question won the $1 million prize from the Triple Red 777’s scratch-off game. Shackleford purchased his $5 ticket at Arcadia Citgo, located at 335 S. Brevard Avenue in Arcadia.

    Upon his visit to the lottery’s Fort Myers District Office on November 10, Shackleford claimed his winnings, taking $584,000 due to his decision to go with the one-time payment.

    Miami Player Won a Million Dollars

    In the meantime, Pierre Khawly, 49, of Miami, won $1 million from a different game. According to the Florida Lottery’s announcement, the player won the prize on a 500X THE CASH ticket he purchased at the Publix located at 831 Village Boulevard in West Palm Beach.

    When visiting the Lottery’s Miami District Office, Khawly chose the one-time lump sum option and took home $640,000.

    It should be noted that 500X THE CASH is one of the Florida Lottery’s most spectacular games yet, featuring a record-setting $25 million top prize.

    Player Became Tarpon Springs’ Latest Millionaire  

    The final player named in the announcement was Jessica Henri, 35, of Tarpon Springs. She won her prize on a $1,000,000 HOLIDAY CA$H scratch-off ticket she purchased from the Publix located at 40932 U.S. Highway 19 N. in Tarpon Springs.

    Like the rest of the players, she chose the one-time lump sum and thus found herself $606,700 richer. The lottery noted that Henri claimed her prize at the lottery’s Tampa District Office.

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  • Two Mega Millions Fans Win Seven-Figure Prizes

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    The Tuesday Mega Millions drawing was one of the most eventful ones in a while. While the game’s top prize remained unclaimed, Mega Millions awarded two prizes of over a million to two players.

    Mega Millions Mints Two New Millionaires

    Following a temporary lull that went without winners of seven-figure prizes, Mega Millions announced that two players have matched the Tuesday drawing’s five white numbers to win life-changing sums.

    The winners included a player in Illinois who had the 3X multiplier active and will therefore take home $3 million. At the same time, a player in Oklahoma won his prize on a 5X multiplier, resulting in a $5 million payday.

    In addition to that, ten players won the game’s third-tier prize after matching four white numbers and the Mega Ball. These included six players who secured $20,000 each due to their 2X multiplier. In addition to that, two players scooped up $30,000 with a 3X multiplier, while another two won $100.000 each with a 10X multiplier.

    For context, the five winning numbers for that drawing were 12, 39, 43, 49, and 55. The winning Mega Ball was 23. Matching all these numbers would have meant a windfall of $438 million, with a cash option of $203.1 million.

    Since the prize went unclaimed for yet another drawing, it has now increased to $458 million with a cash option of $212.4 million.

    The next drawing is set to take place this Friday.

    Players Across America Win Big

    In the meantime, Powerball just held its most recent drawing, with the jackpot surviving to reach a staggering $218 million, with a cash value that finally surpassed the nine-figure mark to reach $101.6 million.

    The Monday drawing awarded a prize of $1 million to a lucky player in New York, who matched the game’s five white numbers.

    In other news, New Jersey just produced another winner of a sizeable jackpot, with a lucky lottery enthusiast claiming the top prize from the recent Jersey Cash 5 drawing.

    Elsewhere, a Texan won $2 million from a scratch-off ticket. This was notably the first top prize from the Texas Lottery’s Golden Riches game to land.

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    Angel Hristov

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  • Powerball Jackpot Survives Monday Drawing, NY Player Wins $1M

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    Powerball has yet again delivered a seven-figure win even if no one won the game’s top prize. The winner this time was a player in New York who matched all five numbers to secure a $1 million prize.

    NY Player Matched All White Numbers to Win $1M

    Yesterday’s Powerball drawing saw players miss the game’s jackpot once again, as the top prize continued to grow in size. As of the time of this writing, the Powerball jackpot stands at a staggering $218 million, with a cash value that finally surpassed the nine-figure mark to reach $101.6 million.

    At the time of the Monday drawing, the jackpot was $203 million with a one-time lump sum option of $94.4 million. The winning numbers for the drawing were 5, 11, 23, 29, and 47, and the Powerball was 6.

    As mentioned, a player in the Empire State managed to nail the five white numbers perfectly to win a prize of $1 million. If the player had the Power Play feature active, they could have won $2 million instead.

    Additionally, the Monday drawing recorded a whopping 18 winners of the game’s third-tier prize. Thirteen of these lucky players will take home $50,000 each, while the rest will take home $100,000 each, instead.

    The next drawing is set to take place on Wednesday, February 25.

    More Players Won Big with Powerball

    The previous Powerball drawing similarly saw a player narrowly miss the jackpot to win $1 million. However, in that drawing, the lucky individual had bought their ticket in California instead.

    In the meantime, a player in Tennessee recently won a $2 million prize from the same game. While that player matched the same number of winning numbers, they had the Power Play feature active, effectively doubling their winnings.

    A few weeks ago, the most recent Powerball winner came forward to collect their money. The player in question won $209.3 million from one of the January drawings and, since they chose the one-time payment, received $68.6 million after taxes.

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    Angel Hristov

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  • Player Wins $2M from Powerball, Becoming Tennessee’s Latest Millionaire

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    Powerball’s most recent drawing saw one player in Tennessee narrowly miss the jackpot, effectively missing out on a payout of $169 million. However, the lucky player had cleverly opted to trigger the Power Play feature and will therefore take home a $2 million prize.

    The Powerball Jackpot Has Now Reached $190M

    The recent Powerball drawing took place on Wednesday and saw the jackpot survive for another round. At the time of the drawing, the jackpot had an annuity value of $169 million and a one-time lump sum option of $79.1 million.

    The winning numbers for the drawing were 9, 33, 52, 64, and 66. The Powerball landed on 1, just like the Mega Ball did during last Friday’s drawing.

    Since no one managed to match all numbers, the big prize went unclaimed. However, one player managed all numbers, except the Powerball, to win the game’s second-tier prize of $1 million. In this case, however, the Tennessee winner had the Power Play feature active, which netted them $2 million instead.

    There were also nine winners of the third-tier prize, which included five regular winners who took home $50,000 each, as well as two who won $100,000 each due to Power Play.

    Since the jackpot survived, it has now swelled to $190 million with a cash value of $89.1 million.

    The next drawing is set to take place this Saturday.

    The Recent Mega Millions Drawings Were Unexciting, But the Jackpot Grows Strong

    In the meantime, the Tuesday Mega Millions drawing was the third drawing in a row without a winner of either the jackpot or a second-tier prize of $1 million (or more, depending on the multiplier). However, the game’s jackpot has increased to a mouth-watering $346 million with a cash value of $156.1 million for tonight’s drawing.

    Speaking of jackpots, the recent Powerball winner came forward to claim their prize. The player in question won $209.3 million from one of the drawings held in January. The player opted to take the lump sum, securing $68.6 million after taxes.

    In the meantime, a player in Ohio just won $3.5 million from the Ohio Lottery’s Classic Lotto game. The win landed on February 4, and the player immediately took off on a journey back home to take and redeem his ticket. In an interview with lottery officials, the happy winner said that he had been picking the same numbers for some 22 years.  

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    Fiona Simmons

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  • Stop at Charlotte snack bar ends with woman winning a lottery jackpot

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    A woman hit a lottery jackpot on a scratch-off ticket she bought at this Charlotte snack shop, lottery officials said.

    A woman hit a lottery jackpot on a scratch-off ticket she bought at this Charlotte snack shop, lottery officials said.

    Street View image from December 2025. © 2026 Google

    A woman saw a lottery ticket with images of sparkling diamonds, decided to buy one and hit a jackpot on a recent stop at a Charlotte snack shop, N.C. lottery officials said.

    Kennedi Desylvia of Charlotte scratched off a $2 million prize on the $20 Diamonds Deluxe ticket she bought at Byrum’s Food Mart on Oakdale Road, according to a lottery news release Thursday.

    Annuity or lump sum?

    Desylvia beat odds of 1 in 1.5 million, according to the Diamonds Deluxe game page.

    She had the choice of a $100,000 annuity over 20 years or a $1.2 million lump sum. Choosing the lump sum, she took home $864,126 after taxes, officials said.

    When she claimed her prize at lottery headquarters in Raleigh, Desylvia didn’t say what she’ll do with her big win, officials said. She didn’t return a phone call from The Charlotte Observer on Friday.

    A woman hit a jackpot on a Diamonds Deluxe scratch-off ticket she bought at a Charlotte snack shop, lottery officials said.
    A woman hit a jackpot on a Diamonds Deluxe scratch-off ticket she bought at a Charlotte snack shop, lottery officials said. N.C. Education Lottery

    $2,000,000 Diamonds Deluxe debuted in December 2023 with four $2 million top prizes and eight $100,000 prizes. Two $2 million prizes and one $100,000 prize remain to be claimed, officials said.

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    Joe Marusak

    The Charlotte Observer

    Joe Marusak has been a reporter for The Charlotte Observer since 1989 covering the people, municipalities and major news events of the region, and was a news bureau editor for the paper. He currently reports on breaking news.
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  • Michigan Player Wins Lucky For Life’s Top Prize, Plans to Share with His Family

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    Yet another lucky player from Michigan has won big, this time from the Michigan Lottery’s Lucky For Life game. This comes in the wake of several seven-figure sum wins in the Great Lakes State.

    The Winner Took Home $390K

    According to the Michigan Lottery’s announcement, David Holfelder, a 78-year-old man from Eastpointe, Macomb County, won the lottery’s recent Lucky For Life top prize. The prize landed on January 21 when Holfelder successfully matched all winning numbers in that drawing.

    For context, the winning numbers for the January 21 drawing were 3, 10, 22, 32, and 38.

    Lottery officials clarified that the winning ticket was sold at One Stop Liquor Shoppe, located at 15125 East 9 Mile Road in Eastpointe. They also confirmed that Holfelder visited the lottery HQ to claim his prize, opting to take the one-time lump sum payment of $390,000 instead of the $25,000 a year for 20 years annuity.

    In an interview with lottery officials, Holfelder said that he had been playing Lucky For Life a lot in recent times. He added that he was incredibly excited when he scanned his ticket after the drawing to see that he had finally won a big lottery prize.

    The words I would use to describe winning are terrific, satisfying, and about time!

    David Holfelder

    Holfelder added that he plans to use the money to buy a house and share the rest with his family.

    Two More Players from the Great Lakes State Who Won Big

    As mentioned, Holfelder’s win comes shortly after other players in Michigan won big prizes. These included a player who won $2 million from Legendary Wild Time, one of the lottery’s scratch-off games. The lucky winner said that he plans to use some of the money to fuel a voyage and then save the rest.

    A few days earlier, the lottery announced that a woman from Michigan had won $6 million from the Millionaire Maker game. While the 63-year-old winner said that he doesn’t need any changes in her life, she said that she plans to use the money to help change others’ lives.

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    Angel Hristov

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  • Powerball Made Three Millionaires, But No One Won the Jackpot

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    Powerball recently handed out its latest jackpot, but that doesn’t mean that the fun is all over. Despite not crowning a winner, the most recent drawing actually turned three separate winners into millionaires.

    Three Players Won $1M or More

    The Wednesday Powerball drawing turned out to be quite eventful despite the lack of a big prize as three separate players won the game’s second-tier prize. These included players from Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Illinois.

    For context, the winning numbers for the February 4 drawing were 27, 29, 30, 37, and 58, with a Powerball of 15. Guessing all numbers correctly would have resulted in a prize drop of $83 million if a hypothetical winner had chosen the annuity, or $37.6 million if they had picked the one-time lump sum option.

    Since no one matched all the numbers correctly, however, the jackpot remained unclaimed. Despite that, three separate players won seven-figure sums since they managed to match all numbers, except the Powerball, correctly. These included a player from Illinois, who will take home $1 million, as well as two players, one from Oregon and one from Pennsylvania, who will take home $2 million each due to the Power Play feature.

    In addition to that, seven players won the game’s third-tier prize after correctly guessing four white numbers and the Powerball. Four of them will take $50,000 each, while three others will scoop up $100,000 each due to Power Play.

    In the meantime, the jackpot has now reached $102 million with a cash value of $46.1 million. The next drawing is set to take place on Saturday, February 7.

    Two Powerball Jackpots Landed

    As mentioned, a lucky player won the Powerball jackpot only several days ago, becoming the recipient of a $209.3 million prize.

    This win came around the same time the winner of Christmas’s $1.82 billion Powerball jackpot emerged. The player chose to remain anonymous, but lottery officials noted that he had heeded the lottery’s advice and had onboarded the services of a professional financial consultant before claiming their prize.

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    Angel Hristov

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  • Florida Player Wins $3M from Mega Millions

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    The Friday Mega Millions drawing went without a jackpot winner but that doesn’t mean that it went without a big winner, since a lucky player in Florida won a $3 million prize.

    The Sun Shone Upon the Lucky Florida Player

    While Mega Millions players usually strive for the big payout, last Friday’s drawing was yet another miss as the game’s top prize remained unclaimed. While no one managed to match all six numbers correctly, there were a few players who matched five to win various prizes.

    The winning white numbers for the January 31 Mega Millions drawing were 11, 34, 36, 43, and 63. The Mega Ball, on the other hand, was 13.

    Matching all six numbers correctly would have resulted in a $303 million windfall. A potential winner could have also picked the lump sum option of $136.7 million rather than the annuity.

    In any case, that didn’t happen, but it doesn’t mean there were no winners. Official data shows that a single lucky player in Florida has guessed all white numbers correctly to win a seven-figure sum. Due to their 3X multiplier, the player will take home a mouth-watering $3 million.

    At the same time, five players managed to match four white numbers plus the Mega Ball. Three of them will take home $20,000 each, while two others will take home $30,000 due to their 3X multiplier.

    In the meantime, the Mega Millions jackpot has continued to grow. The game’s top prize has now reached $323 million with a cash value of $145.7 million. The next drawing is set to take place on Tuesday, February 3, at 11 pm ET.

    Other Big Prizes That Landed Recently

    In other news, the lucky winner of the $209.3 million jackpot from the recent Powerball drawing just came forward to claim their prize, but chose to remain anonymous.

    Elsewhere, a lottery enthusiast from Wisconsin just has won a mouth-watering $1.5 million prize from the state lottery’s Megabucks game. While this prize came too late for Christmas, it arrived just in time for Super Bowl season.

    Elsewhere, an Illinois player previously became the recipient of a $550K prize after matching all five numbers in Wednesday’s Lotto drawing.

    The Florida Lottery, on the other hand, announced that two players who won seven-figure prizes, including a player of Homosassa, who won $2 million, and a player of Boynton Beach, who won $1 million.

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    Angel Hristov

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  • Lucky Powerball Player Comes Forward to Claim $209.3 Million Jackpot

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    A Powerball player in North Carolina has come forward to claim the $209.3 million jackpot from the latest drawing earlier this week, though the lucky winner has chosen to remain anonymous.

    Powerball Winner Claims Their Prize

    The winner went to the lottery office on Thursday to claim the prize. Under lottery rules, the individual elected to remain anonymous for 90 days, a provision that allows winners to manage the process privately. The waiting period gives the winner time to plan and make decisions without public attention. The jackpot fell on Monday, with the lucky ticket being sold at West 10th Mart on West 10th Street in Roanoke Rapids.

    Lottery officials confirmed that all required checks were completed before the payout was issued. No personal information about the winner has been disclosed, and the lottery has released only limited details about the claim.

    The winner chose to receive the prize as a single upfront payment instead of annual installments, an option commonly referred to as the lump sum. Before taxes, the lump sum totaled $95.3 million, but after federal and state taxes were factored in, the winner took home $68.6 million – still a huge sum.

    Many lottery winners prefer the lump sum because it provides immediate access to the funds. This win is especially significant as it ranks as the second-largest lottery prize ever claimed in North Carolina. Only one jackpot in the state’s history has surpassed it – a $158 million lump sum after taxes claimed by Charles W. Jackson Jr. back in 2019.

    The lottery has not disclosed how the winner intends to spend the money. Typically, winners take time to consult with financial professionals before making major decisions. Whatever the winner decides to do with the prize, however, the fact that someone’s life has been changed forever remains.

    The Store that Sold the Lucky Ticket Will Also Get a Bonus 

    The lucky player isn’t the only one who will see a reward, as the Roanoke Rapids, where the ticket was sold, will also receive a $50,000 bonus from the Powerball lottery. Stores that sell winning tickets often get such bonuses. In addition, this is essentially free advertising for these stores, and many of them often get an uptick in customers after such an event.

    Powerball drawings are held multiple times each week, and when there is no winner, the jackpot quickly increases, which led to the current prize pool. Lottery officials reminded players that they should sign the back of their ticket as soon as it is purchased to help safeguard the ticket in case it is lost.

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    Stefan Velikov

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  • Megabucks Leaves Wisconsin Player $1.5M Richer

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    A lucky player from Wisconsin has won a mouth-watering $1.5 million prize from the state lottery’s Megabucks. The prize landed on January 28 and, although a bit late for the holidays, came just in time for Super Bowl season.

    The Winner Has Yet to Come Forward

    According to the Wisconsin Lottery, the player won the life-changing sum from the January 28, 2026, drawing. For reference, the winning numbers for that drawing were 10, 13, 31, 38, 41, and 43. After correctly matching all six of them, the player turned his ticket into an unforgettable payday.

    As of the time of this writing, the winner has yet to come forward to claim their prize. Per the local lottery’s rules, they will have 180 days to do so. The lottery encouraged players to see if they were the winner by checking their tickets or logging into the Wisconsin lottery app.

    In the meantime, lottery officials said that the winning ticket was sold at the Millgate General Store at 151 Millgate Dr. in Burlington. This wasn’t the first time a big prize has landed in that shop, either, as it previously sold a winning $37,000 Badger 5 jackpot ticket.

    Jorgen F., the store’s manager, spoke with the lottery on the matter, saying that he was excited to see Millgate General Store mint another big winner.

    We’re so happy to sell a jackpot winner. It’s very exciting.

    Jorgen F.

    The $1.5 million prize is notably the first Megabucks jackpot for 2026. The previous jackpot was won last November and stood at a $7.1 million.

    January Turned Out to Be a Lucrative Month for Lottery Players

    Elsewhere, an Illinois player just won $550K after matching all five numbers in Wednesday’s Lotto drawing.

    In the meantime, the Florida Lottery just announced that two players have won seven-figure prizes. These included a player of Homosassa, who won $2 million, as well as a player of Boynton Beach, who won $1 million.

    This came shortly after two separate players in New Jersey won prizes of $2 million and $6 million.

    In other news, the latest Powerball jackpot landed last week, and the winner of the previous one emerged at around the same time after remaining elusive for a few weeks. Although the winner remained anonymous, lottery officials noted that he had heeded the lottery’s advice to onboard the services of a financial consultant.

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  • Powerball Player Wins $209.3M Jackpot, Monday Drawing Goes Without Big Win

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    A lucky player in North Carolina has won Powerball’s latest jackpot around the same time the mysterious winner of the game’s earlier top prize came forward to claim their money. The jackpot has since been reset and has so far survived two drawings.

    The Jackpot Landed in NC for the Sixth Time

    A few days ago, Powerball announced a player from Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, as the recipient of Wednesday’s Powerball jackpot. The prize stood at $209.3 million with a one-time lump sum option of $95.3 million.

    For context, the winning ticket matched all six numbers, which were 11, 26, 27, 53 and 55, with a Powerball of 12. Officials added that the winning ticket was sold at West 10th Mart on West 10th Street in Roanoke Rapids.

    Mark Michalko, CEO of the NC Education Lottery, congratulated the winner on securing a life-changing win and added that his team is pleased that the latest win landed in the Tar Heel State.

    We are thrilled that the win occurred in North Carolina. Our advice to the winner is to sign the ticket to establish your ownership of it and secure it in a safe place. We can’t wait to meet the big winner so we can celebrate this momentous occasion with them.

    Mark Michalko, CEO, NC Education Lottery

    For context, this marked the sixth time a NC player has won Powerball’s top prize.

    The winner has yet to come forward to claim their prize.

    Christmas Winner Claims Jackpot, Monday Drawing Goes Uneventful

    In the meantime, the winner of Christmas’ jaw-dropping Powerball jackpot of $1.82 billion just came forward to claim their prize after a short delay. While the winner chose to remain anonymous, their claim dispelled pessimistic rumors that suggested the winning ticket could have been lost.

    In the meantime, the Monday Powerball drawing was much less eventful due to the usual post-jackpot lull. After no one matched either all numbers or at least all the white numbers, the game went without a big winner. The only outliers were three tickets that matched four numbers plus the Powerball to win $50,000 each. None of these players had the Power Play feature active.

    The jackpot has thus reached $43 million with a cash value of $19.4 million. The next drawing is set to take place on Wednesday, January 28, 2026.

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  • NC ticket wins $209.3 million Powerball jackpot

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    A Powerball ticket purchased in Roanoke Rapids won the $209.3 million jackpot drawing Wednesday night.

    According to the North Carolina Education Lottery, the winning ticket was purchased from West 10th Mart on West 10th Street in Roanoke Rapids.

    The winning numbers in the drawing were 11–26−27−53−55 and the Powerball was 12.

    The winner, who matched all six numbers, has 180 days to claim their prize.

    The winner will be able to choose an annuity of $209.3 million paid in 30 payments over 29 years or a lump sum payment of $95.3 million.

    According to the lottery, this is the sixth time a player in North Carolina has won a Powerball jackpot.

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  • Mega Millions ticket hits a big prize at NC grocery store. Does the winner know?

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    A Mega Millons ticket bought at this North Carolina grocery store won $2 million, lottery officials said on Saturday, Nov. 17, 2026.

    A Mega Millons ticket bought at this North Carolina grocery store won $2 million, lottery officials said on Saturday, Nov. 17, 2026.

    Street View image from November 2025. © 2026 Google

    A Mega Millions ticket bought Friday at a North Carolina grocery store is worth $2 million, lottery officials said Saturday.

    The winner might not know it, as no one immediately claimed the prize, officials said.

    A person bought the $5 ticket at H&M Grocery on U.S. 311 South in Sophia, according to a lottery news release. Sophia is between Greensboro and Asheboro in Randolph County.

    The numbers matched those on all five white balls to win $1 million, officials said. With the new built-in multiplier, the prize doubled.

    A Mega Millions ticket bought Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, at a North Carolina grocery store is worth $2 million, lottery officials said.
    A Mega Millions ticket bought Friday, Jan. 16, 2026, at a North Carolina grocery store is worth $2 million, lottery officials said. NC EDUCATION LOTTERY

    The numbers were 2, 22, 33, 42 and 67, according to the Mega Millions game page.

    A player in Texas also won $2 million in Friday’s drawing, the largest prize won nationally, according to the NC lottery.

    The odds of matching all five numbers are 1 in 12.6 million.

    The NC winner has six months to claim their prize.

    The jackpot for Tuesday’s drawing climbed to $250 million as an annuity and $113.5 million cash. The odds of matching all the numbers plus the Megaball are 1 in 290 million.

    Players can buy Mega Millions tickets at lottery retailers, through Online Play on the lottery’s website and on the lottery app.

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    Joe Marusak

    The Charlotte Observer

    Joe Marusak has been a reporter for The Charlotte Observer since 1989 covering the people, municipalities and major news events of the region, and was a news bureau editor for the paper. He currently reports on breaking news.
    Support my work with a digital subscription

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  • Gossip Surrounds Missing Arkansas Powerball Winner

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    Posted on: January 17, 2026, 03:29h. 

    Last updated on: January 17, 2026, 03:29h.

    • The Powerball ticket worth $1.817 billion, sold in Arkansas, remains at large
    • The Arkansas Lottery says the ticket must be redeemed by June 22, 2026

    Gossip is running rampant across Arkansas regarding who is the lucky winner of the Christmas Eve Powerball jackpot worth $1.817 billion.

    Powerball jackpot Arkansas winner
    The Powerball jackpot struck in Cabot on Christmas Eve. Nearly a month later, the $1.817 billion ticket has not yet been redeemed with the Arkansas Lottery. (Image: Shutterstock)

    It’s been nearly a month since a ticket sold at the Murphy USA gas station in Cabot next to the Walmart Supercenter matched the Dec. 24 Powerball numbers of 4, 25, 31, 52, 59, and the red Powerball 19. The winner of the life-changing windfall has the choice of receiving the full jackpot paid out over 29 years or a one-time cash option of $834.9 million. Both are before federal and state taxes.

    Major lottery winners typically consult with an attorney and/or financial advisor before coming forward. But as the clock ticks, rumors about what’s going on grow louder.

    If I go into a local grocery store, if I go anywhere in town, someone asks me about it,” Arkansas House Speaker Brian Evans (R-Cabot) told the Arkansas Advocate. “Typically, it’s, ‘Hey Brian, were you the winner?’”

    Evans is not the winner, he says. Being an elected official, Evans would not be afforded the state’s three-year anonymity privilege.

    Lottery Gossip

    Arkansas allows a Powerball ticket to be redeemed within 180 days of the draw. That means the Christmas Eve Powerball ticket must be redeemed by June 22, 2026.

    With Cabot centrally located and the ticket purchased at a gas station just off Interstate 57, which nearly runs the length of the state from Missouri to Texas, the winner could truly be anyone. It could be an Arkansas resident, or someone passing through who decided to grab a Powerball play.

    Neighbors are looking across the street, wondering if they’re the ones poised to become massively rich. Colleagues are inquiring at the water cooler if their coworker is readying to quit and cash in the Powerball ticket.

    But as each day passes, more speculation arises that the winning paper ticket might be lost or accidentally trashed. The ticket won’t be redeemed until at least Tuesday, Jan. 21, as the Arkansas Lottery’s Claim Centers are closed on the weekends and on Monday, Jan. 20, in observation of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

    The winner, in addition to choosing between the annuity or lump sum, must also decide whether they will remain anonymous for three years. After three years, Arkansas requires lottery winners to become part of the public record.

    The $1.817 billion Powerball jackpot is the second-largest lottery prize in US history behind the $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot won in November 2022.

    Is Tonight Your Turn?

    Time will tell if the Christmas Eve Powerball drawing indeed changed someone’s life. Tonight is another opportunity, though the jackpot is a considerably smaller prize.

    Powerball has grown from the Christmas Eve hit to an estimated jackpot of $179 million for tonight’s draw. The lump sum option is at $81.5 million.

    Mega Millions currently has a larger jackpot at $250 million ($113.5 million cash). Mega Millions is next drawn on Tuesday, Jan. 20.

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    Devin O’Connor

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  • CT Lottery Player Wins $4M from Scratch-off Ticket, Another One Grabs $1M

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    Two players in Connecticut have won big after buying winning tickets in the CT Lottery’s scratch-off games. One of them experienced a $4 million windfall, while the other took home $1 million.

    A Change in Routine Resulted in a $4M Payday for a Lucky Man

    A few days ago, the CT Lottery confirmed that a player from Tolland has won a life-changing seven-figure sum from one of its games. As it turned out, the man in question was on his way to a job site and had to take a different route due to a larger-than-expected trailer tow. As a result, the player had to refuel at a different station than his usual one, since the latter couldn’t accommodate his trailer.

    The unexpected change in routine on that rainy Friday morning turned out to be fateful. While at the station, the man had a short wait, so he decided to try his luck at one of the lottery games sold there. This led him to purchase a $4,000,000 Fortune scratch-off ticket. Once he scratched it, he was shocked to learn that he had become the latest recipient of a top prize of $4 million.

    I had a half hour to kill before we clocked in, so I scratched the ticket. It said $4,000,000 and I started shaking. I scanned the QR code and everything was legit. I just kept shaking… I couldn’t believe it. I was a millionaire.

    CT Lottery winner

    The winning ticket was purchased at Gulf Convenience Mart on Meriden-Waterbury Turnpike in Cheshire, which will receive a $40,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket. The store manager congratulated the player on his win, saying that she was thrilled that one of the station’s customers had won such a big prize.

    In an interview with lottery officials, the man said that he plans to use the money to take a vacation and invest. After that, he plans to continue working as usual.

    Player Who Forgot His Glasses Was Shocked to Hear How Much He’d Won

    A few days later, the CT Lottery announced another winner of a top prize from a scratch-off ticket. This time, the player took $1 million from the lottery’s Best Chance to Be a Millionaire game.

    Officials said that the winner was a man from Fairfield who described himself as a longtime fan of the lottery’s games. While the player opted to remain anonymous, he revealed that when he bought the ticket, he didn’t have his glasses on and couldn’t check whether he’d won. That’s why he asked the clerk to just scan the ticket and was shocked to learn that he had just won a million dollars.

    Officials added that the winning ticket was sold at News Express on Tunxis Hill Road in Fairfield.

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    Angel Hristov

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  • Trying to Cash in Stolen Ticket Lands Florida Man in Jail  

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    A Florida man has been arrested after allegedly trying to claim a six-figure lottery prize with a stolen ticket. Since the Sunshine State treats lottery tickets as a personal possession worth the prize it wins, the man now risks up to several decades in prison.

    Electronic Data Determined the Ticket Had Been Stolen

    A few months ago, Jawed Areeb, a 26-year-old man from Florida, visited the Florida Lottery’s office in West Palm Beach to claim a six-figure prize. According to reports, the man presented a Fantasy 5 ticket worth some $115,733.61, suggesting that this was a jackpot prize.

    While lotteries usually celebrate big winners, something wasn’t adding up. Since tickets are logged electronically once they are purchased, officials were able to determine that the ticket Areeb presented had been stolen.

    Electronic data suggested that the ticket presented by Areeb had been stolen on October 2 from a business in North Lauderdale.

    The man insisted that the ticket was his and, days later, changed his story, saying that it was given to him by an uncle. A special agent asked for the purported uncle’s address and was given the same address from which the ticket had been reported stolen.

    On January 3, investigators visited Areeb in his home. Then, the man finally came clean, admitting that the ticket was indeed stolen.

    The man was subsequently booked into Palm Beach County Jail for processing. If convicted, he risks up to 30 years in prison, since Florida treats lottery tickets as personal property worth the prize they win.

    Other Florida Players Won Big

    On a more positive note, a few players in Florida recently won big prizes – and did so with tickets that weren’t stolen. These included a man from Florida who won a staggering $5 million top prize from the lottery’s $5,000,000 CA$H MONEY scratch-off game. After opting to take the lump-sum option, the man took home $3,053,000.00, Florida Lottery officials said.

    A few days ago, a player from Florida narrowly missed the Powerball jackpot only to win a seven-figure sum instead. For context, the winning white numbers for the January 12 Powerball drawing were 5, 27, 45, 56, and 59, with a Powerball of 4. Since the player matched all white numbers, but did not match the Powerball and did not have the Power Play feature active, they won $1 million.

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    Fiona Simmons

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  • Do You Share Lottery Winnings With Your Brother?

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    Here’s a question that sounds hypothetical until it suddenly isn’t:
    If your brother buys you a lottery ticket, and that ticket hits for one million dollars, do you split it with him?

    Because that’s not a barroom debate or a Facebook poll. That’s a real thing that just happened in Sterling Heights, and it might be the most quietly Midwestern lottery story of all time.

    The Setup: A Brother, a Favor, a Liquor Store

    This story comes out of Oakland County, where an unnamed man did something we’ve all done before—he asked his brother to grab something while he was already out. In this case, it wasn’t milk or gas. It was a **Michigan Lottery Super Raffle ticket.

    The brother stopped at a liquor store on Dequindre Road, picked up the ticket, handed it over, and went on with his day. No ceremony. No handshake deal. No “Hey, if this hits, we’re 50/50, right?”

    Just a brother doing a brother a favor.

    Which is exactly where the moral complexity begins.

    The Moment: “That Can’t Be Right”

    When the man checked the numbers, he didn’t celebrate. He didn’t scream. He didn’t text the family group chat with a string of dollar-sign emojis.

    He checked the ticket.
    Then checked it again.
    Then again.
    And again.

    Because when something that big happens through something that casual, your brain refuses to accept it. This wasn’t a scratch-off bought on a whim. This wasn’t a long-planned ritual. This was an errand outsourced to your brother that accidentally changed your financial life.

    Eventually, reality set in. The ticket was real. The number matched. The prize was real.

    The Decision: Lump Sum, No Flash

    Like many lottery winners in Michigan, he chose the lump sum payout—about $693,000 after taxes. And then came the most telling detail in the entire story.

    He said he plans to save it.

    Not flip houses.
    Not quit his job immediately.
    Not buy a lake house “up north.”

    That single line tells you everything you need to know about this guy, and honestly, about this state.

    But Here’s the Real Question Everyone’s Asking

    Do you share it with your brother?

    Because legally, the answer is simple: the ticket holder owns the prize. End of discussion. There was no written agreement. No co-sign. No verbal contract witnessed by the cashier.

    That’s where things get interesting.

    Your brother didn’t pay for the ticket—but he did everything else. He made the stop. He picked the ticket. He handed you the exact piece of paper that changed your life.

    If he forgets? You’re a millionaire.
    If he doesn’t? You’re still clocking in tomorrow.

    So what’s the move? Do you go full “Family Guy” on him?

    The Unwritten Rules of “Brother Money”

    In Michigan families, there’s a whole codebook that never gets written down. It’s not about percentages. It’s about gestures.

    You don’t necessarily cut a check for half a million dollars. But you don’t pretend this happened in a vacuum either.

    Maybe it’s paying off his truck.
    Maybe it’s clearing a mortgage chunk.
    Maybe it’s setting up a college fund for his kids.
    Maybe it’s just sliding him something meaningful and saying, “This doesn’t happen without you.”

    Because while the lottery ticket belongs to you, the story belongs to both of you.

    Why This Story Hits So Hard

    This isn’t a Vegas jackpot story. There’s no neon. No press conference grin. No “I’m buying an island” energy.

    It’s a quiet, accidental win that came from trust, routine, and family. From saying, “Hey, can you grab that for me?” and knowing it’ll get done.

    That’s why people are debating it. Not because of greed—but because most of us can imagine ourselves in both roles.

    The guy holding the ticket.
    And the brother who bought it.

    The Michigan Ending

    At the end of the day, this story doesn’t scream excess. It whispers responsibility.

    A man asked for a favor.
    A brother delivered.
    Luck showed up uninvited.

    And instead of fireworks, the response was: I’ll save it.

    Which might be the most Michigan lottery win imaginable.

    So… do you share it with your brother?

    There’s no official rule. But if you have to ask, you probably already know the answer.

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    Jim O’Brien

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  • Idaho Man Wins $1M in Time for 2026

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    A man from Idaho has turned into a millionaire just in time for 2026. The lucky man won a prize of $1 million from a one of the Idaho Lottery’s games and is planning to use the money to pay off some debts.

    Idaho Raffle Crowned Rigby Man as the Winner of $1M Prize

    The lucky winner was identified as Sean Klingler from Rigby. The man purchased a few Idaho Raffle tickets and was ecstatic to learn that one of them won him some $1 million. Klingler visited the lottery office in Boise on Tuesday to claim his money.

    In an interview with lottery officials, Klingler said that the clerk at the shop where he bought the tickets was surprised when she informed him that he had won $100,000. A second later, however, the woman apologized, saying that this wasn’t the right sum. While Klingler thought that this meant that he had likely won only $100, he soon learned the truth – that he was Idaho’s newest millionaire.

    Klingler told lottery officials that his friends doubted that he had really won such a big sum until he showed them his pictures with the big check.

    Klingler told officials that he plans to use his new fortune to pay off some outstanding debts and save up some money for his retirement. He also promised to buy his wife a new car to celebrate the occasion.

    Players Won Big During the Holidays

    In the meantime, a separate player won $25,000 from the same game, once again proving that holiday miracles are real. However, that player has yet to come forward to claim their prize.

    The holiday stories don’t end here, though, as more players secured mouth-watering prizes in time for the holidays. These included a Florida Lottery player who won a $5 million top prize from the lottery’s $5,000,000 CA$H MONEY scratch-off game. 

    Christmas, on the other hand, saw a true miracle happen as a player from Arkansas won the coveted $1.8 billion Powerball jackpot, making them one of the biggest lottery winners in American history.

    The Australian version of the game, meanwhile, handed an AUD 20 million jackpot to a lucky woman from Hackham.

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    Angel Hristov

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  • $1 million Minnesota Lottery raffle tickets sold in Coon Rapids, International Falls

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    Two lucky lottery players are starting the new year as millionaires.

    According to Minnesota Lottery, one Minnesota Millionaire Raffle ticket was sold at a Holiday Stationstore in Coon Rapids on 13051 NW Round Lake Blvd. The other was sold in International Falls at Forestland Sales on 1111 Third St.

    Both businesses will also earn a $5,000 bonus for selling a winning ticket.

    Minnesota Lottery says a million Minnesota Millionaire Raffle tickets went on sale on Oct. 21, 2025, and sold out in record time. 

    “The Minnesota Millionaire Raffle has been an annual tradition for many Minnesotans since 2006,” said Adam Prock, executive director of the Minnesota Lottery.  “With this being the 20th anniversary, we wanted to give players a million reasons to celebrate and make this year extra special. Congratulations to all 20,000 winners!”  

    In addition to the two $1 million tickets, there were also five $100,000 prizes, five $50,000 prizes, five $25,000 prizes and 40 $20,000 prizes.

    Prizes must be claimed within a year of the drawing date. Claims over $50,000 must be made in person at the Minnesota Lottery headquarters in Roseville.

    For a full list of winning numbers, click here.

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    Aki Nace

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  • Arkansas Resident Receives Christmas Miracle as a Powerball Jackpot

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    On Christmas Eve one lucky person from Arkansas managed to win the $1.8 billion Powerball jackpot.

    This has become the second-largest windfall jackpot ever won in the US. In the last three months, no substantial windfall jackpots have been pulled.

    Last time, the winners were from Texas and Missouri on September 6. Matt Strawn, the CEO of the Iowa Lottery, had this to say to the winner on the Powerball website:

    “Congratulations to the newest Powerball jackpot winner! This is truly an extraordinary, life-changing prize”.

    Strawn, who is also the Powerball product group chair, followed that up with a thank you to everyone who had participated in the lottery.

    Getting the Prize

    Winners have a choice on how they wish to receive their prize. They can either partially receive the money every year, where they get a part of the money on the spot.

    This goes on for 29 more years, where they keep on receiving their money, with it increasing by 5% each time until the full amount, minus taxes, is paid out.

    The second option is an immediate payout of a before-tax amount that comes out to $834.9 million.

    Payouts in California are pari‑mutuel, so the pot depends on the number of tickets bought as well as on how soon a jackpot is won. A total of 8 tickets in the country matched the five white balls.

    Each of the lucky ticket holders has been awarded $1 million. Here are the following states in which a winning ticket had been sold: California, Indiana, Michigan, New York (2), Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

    There were 114 smaller winning tickets that were worth $50,000, as well as additional tickets worth $100,000 that numbered 31.

    A Holiday Surprise

    This is not the first time someone has won a huge Powerball jackpot around the winter holidays.

    According to Powerball, their last Christmas Eve jackpot was won all the way back in 2011.

    The company also shared that on 4 separate Christmas days, they have had sweepstake winners; their last recorded one was in 2013.

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    Mike Johnson

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