ROWAN COUNTY, N.C. — A Kannapolis man scored a $100,000 lottery prize on a scratch-off ticket, North Carolina Education Lottery officials announced.
James Sassman bought a $50 ticket for the new $10 Million Spectacular game at the Walmart in Salisbury. It was his lucky day, too. Sassman scratched the ticket and won the fifth $100,000 prize since the game's debut in December.
After required federal and state taxes, Sassman brought home $71,514.
The $10 Million Spectacular game debuted with five $10 million grand prizes, 20 $10 million prizes and 20 prizes of $100,000. Four of the $10 million grand prizes are still available, lottery officials said.
All eyes remain on the massive $1.23 billion Powerball jackpot up for grabs on Saturday, April 6. It's the eighth-largest lottery prize in U.S. history, making it awful enticing for people to drop $2 on a ticket for a chance at unfathomable wealth.
Lottery officials set the odds at 1 in 292.2 million in hopes that jackpots will roll over with each of the three weekly drawings until the top prize becomes so enormous that more people take notice and play.
The odds used to be significantly better, at 1 in 175 million, but were made tougher in 2015 to create the humongous jackpots. Lottery officials at that time also made it easier to win smaller prizes, and they note that the overall odds of winning something are about 1 in 25.
The Powerball jackpot hasn't been claimed since New Year's Day, when a player in Michigan hit the $842 million jackpot. Saturday night's drawing will match the record for most drawings between winnings.
Playing the lottery is a form of gambling. If you are concerned about your gambling or worried about a friend, you can call the NC Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-877-718-5543. You can also contact the National Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
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