Powerball jackpot weighs in at $359 million for Thanksgiving

For this Thanksgiving holiday, the nation’s Powerball jackpot will weigh in as a $359 million annuity.

The jackpot, worth $219.6 million if taken as cash, ranks as the 11th highest in the game’s history. It is the largest jackpot offered to Powerball players in more than three months.

The odds of winning the jackpot are high, 1 in 292 million, but it’s been won five times this year, including a world record Powerball jackpot of $1.5 billion on Jan. 13.

North Carolina joined the Powerball game in 2006 and so far four North Carolina players have beaten the odds to win jackpots of $74.5 million to $188 million.

So what’s our best advice if you happen to win the jackpot Wednesday night.

Your first reaction will be to celebrate, but there are a few things to keep in mind:

- Sign and secure your ticket: If you win, you must sign the back of your original ticket immediately to establish your ownership. Make sure you keep it in a safe place until you decide to claim your prize.
- Get professional advice: It’s a good idea to contact a financial and legal adviser to make sure you have a sound plan. 
- Take your time: You have 180 days to claim your winnings, which will give you time to figure out what to do with the money and how it will change your life. 

Ticket sales for Powerball help the lottery raise more than half a billion dollars for education a year. About 76 cents of every $2 ticket goes to education.

Good luck, North Carolina. We’d love to meet our fifth Powerball jackpot winner!