RALEIGH - Powerball and “Carolina Cash 5” produced some big winners over the weekend. Joseph Taylor of Snow Hill had five lucky numbers in the Friday, May 2, “Carolina Cash 5” drawing. His ticket matched all five white balls to win the top prize of $196,673!

Taylor was on his way home from Wilson when he called the North Carolina Education Lottery’s (NCEL’s) automated Player Hotline to get the winning numbers. When he saw that all five numbers matched the ones on his ticket, he thought, “It can’t be real!” He says the 20 minute drive home “seemed like it took hours.”

Taylor plans to use the money for home improvements. He and his wife also plan to save some of the money. Taylor bought his winning ticket at Allan’s Convenience Store on Herring Avenue in Wilson.

Three tickets in the Saturday, May 3, Powerball drawing matched four out of five white balls plus the Powerball, and are worth from $30,000 to $10,000. One of the three tickets was Power Played. Since the Power Play multiplier for the drawing was 3, the normal prize of $10,000 for matching four of five white balls and the Powerball was increased to $30,000. The ticket was sold at Uncle Bill’s Mini Mart on New Hope Road in Raleigh.

Two other Powerball tickets matched four out of five white balls plus the Power Ball, but were not Power Played, so they are worth $10,000 each. These tickets were sold at Lowes Food on Eastfield Road in Huntersville and M.J. Food Mart on Tom Hunter Road in Charlotte.

A total of 59,940 North Carolina Powerball players won prizes in Saturday’s Powerball drawing, ranging from $30,000 down to $3 for a total payout in prizes worth $490,299. The jackpot for the Wednesday, May 7, Powerball drawing is $15 million. A ticket matching the five white balls and the Powerball to win
the jackpot was purchased in Minnesota.