Mystery winner hit largest jackpot ever in this popular NC lottery game on Saturday
Someone paid $20 at a North Carolina convenience store Saturday morning and hit the largest-ever jackpot in the N.C. lottery’s Fast Play games, officials said.
The winner remained a mystery, as no one immediately claimed the prize, according to a lottery news release.
The player scored the $1.1 million jackpot on a 100X The Cash ticket purchased at Handy House No. 2 on U.S. 70 in Smyrna, which is in Carteret County on the coast. Beaufort is 12 miles away and Morehead City 15 miles. Winning the jackpot beat odds of 1 in 320,000, according to the NC Lottery.
When the person bought the ticket, the jackpot stood at $920,665, officials said. Because the ticket cost $20, the winner receives all of the $920,665 plus $200,000 cash, according to the lottery.
The winner has six months to claim the prize at lottery headquarters in Raleigh.
After Saturday’s win, the jackpot started over at $20,000, according to the lottery.
“The instantly growing jackpot increases with every ticket sold until it is won,” officials said in the release.
Fast Play started in September 2020, lottery spokesman Jonathan LaRowe told The Charlotte Observer. Thirteen NC lottery games offer Fast Play.
Players buy the Fast Play tickets from a clerk at a lottery terminal and from self-service vending machines.
Fast Play game tickets are printed when purchased and, just like a scratch-off game, can be played immediately. Players also can instantly see if they won a prize.
A $2 Fast Play ticket wins 20% of the jackpot, a $5 Fast Play ticket half the jackpot and a $10 Fast Play ticket all of the jackpot.
This story was originally published March 11, 2023 at 11:37 AM with the headline "Mystery winner hit largest jackpot ever in this popular NC lottery game on Saturday."