A North Carolina man came very close to winning the $1 billion Powerball jackpot, but he still walked away with a big prize.
Edward Allen bought a $3 Powerball ticket at a gas station convenience store in Monroe. His ticket matched four of the five white balls plus the red Powerball during the drawing on Saturday, Aug. 30, according to the North Carolina Education Lottery. That win earned him $50,000.
Because he chose the Power Play option, his prize tripled to $150,000 thanks to the multiplier.
Allen claimed his winnings on Tuesday, Sept. 2, at lottery headquarters. After taxes, he took home $107,626, officials said.
Without a jackpot winner on Labor Day, the Powerball prize has now climbed to $1.3 billion. The cash value is estimated at about $589 million, making it the fifth-largest jackpot in Powerball history.
The next drawing is set for Wednesday evening, Sept. 3. According to North Carolina lottery officials, the odds of hitting the jackpot are about 1 in 292 million — but some players say that’s worth the $2 or $3 ticket price.
