Rosalyn Grimes of Aurora enjoys playing Powerball with her family and she likes it even more after winning a $100,000 prize.
“It’s really a whole family thing,” she said. “We all like to play together.”
Grimes got her lucky Quick Pick ticket from the Travel Store on N.C. 33 in Blounts Creek. She matched the numbers on four white balls and the red Powerball to win $50,000. Because she bought a $3 Power Play ticket, her prize doubled to $100,000 when the 2X multiplier hit.
Grimes, an assistant principal, asked her mom to check her numbers from the March 3 drawing. She got the call from her mom telling her she won while she was at work.
“I told the principal, ‘I think I kind of just hit the lottery,’” Grimes laughed.
She arrived at lottery headquarters on Monday to claim her winnings and, after required federal and state tax withholdings, took home $71,547.
She plans to use her winnings to pay bills, pay off her mom’s house, and go on a family vacation.
Wednesday’s Powerball jackpot stands at an $353 million annuity or $165.7 million in cash. The odds of winning a Powerball jackpot are 1 in 292 million.
Powerball is one of six draw games in North Carolina where players have the option of buying their tickets at a retail location or with Online Play through the lottery’s website or the NC Lottery Official Mobile App.
The N.C. Education Lottery’s Play Smart™ program helps North Carolinians make the most of their lottery play. Visit ncplaysmart.com to learn about all things lottery, from tips on how odds work to how to enter bonus drawings. If you or someone you know needs support, visit morethanagame.nc.gov/ for free, confidential help.