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Powerball player just misses $106 million jackpot — but still wins big in NC

A Powerball ticket bought at North Carolina Harris Teeter came up one ball shy of a $106,400,000 jackpot, but the player still won big thanks to choosing a the Power Play option.
A Powerball ticket bought at North Carolina Harris Teeter came up one ball shy of a $106,400,000 jackpot, but the player still won big thanks to choosing a the Power Play option. N.C. EDUCATION LOTTERY

A Powerball ticket bought at North Carolina grocery store came within one ball of a $106 million jackpot, but the player still won big thanks to choosing the Power Play option, N.C. Education Lottery officials say.

That means the player’s prize was tripled.

The $3 ticket matched four white balls and the Powerball to win $50,000, which was then multiplied to $150,000 under Power Play rules. Odds of matching four white balls and the Powerball are 1 in 913,129, according to N.C lottery officials.

The player, who has yet to be identified, bought the ticket at the Harris Teeter on Tryon Village Drive in Cary, just south of Raleigh, lottery officials said.

Winning numbers in the Wednesday, May 14, drawing were: 4, 10, 24, 29, 53 and the red Powerball 4.

No one in North Carolina matched all five balls plus the Powerball, and no one won a secondary prize for matching just five white balls, officials said.

One person in Massachusetts, however, matched all five white balls and won $1 million. A player in Texas also matched four numbers and the PowerPlay to win $150,000.

Odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292,201,338.

The last jackpot win was April 26 in Kentucky and the prize was $167.3 million jackpot prize, lottery officials said.

What to know about Powerball

To score the jackpot in the Powerball, a player must match all five white balls and the red Powerball.

The odds of scoring the jackpot prize are 1 in 292,201,338.

Tickets can be bought on the day of the drawing, but sales times and price vary by state.

Drawings are broadcast Saturdays, Mondays and Wednesdays at 10:59 p.m. ET and can be streamed online.

Powerball is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

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This story was originally published May 15, 2025 at 10:43 AM with the headline "Powerball player just misses $106 million jackpot — but still wins big in NC."

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Mark Price
The Charlotte Observer
Mark Price is a state reporter for The Charlotte Observer and McClatchy News outlets in North Carolina. He joined the network of newspapers in 1991 at The Charlotte Observer, covering beats including schools, crime, immigration, LGBTQ issues, homelessness and nonprofits. He graduated from the University of Memphis with majors in journalism and art history, and a minor in geology. 
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