How late can you buy a Powerball ticket for $1.5 billion jackpot?
Thinking of buying tickets for Wednesday’s record-breaking, $1.5 billion (and possibly growing) Powerball jackpot?
Don’t worry, you still have time.
In the Carolinas, ticket sales continue until 9:59 p.m. on Wednesday and Saturday nights. But the cut-off might be earlier in other areas, according to the national Powerball website so you’d want to check with your state lottery office or retailer.
And you’ll have plenty of company. The huge jackpot has forced many convenience stores to bring in extra clerks to keep lines moving, hoping that people wanting Powerball tickets will decide to also buy something else in the store.
QuikTrip spokesman Mike Thornbrugh said the lottery crowd can really wear out clerks if the lines are constant, so the chain of more than 700 stores will have extra staff Wednesday.
Here are a few other things to know:
Where can I buy a ticket?
There are more than 6,800 retailers in North Carolina that sell lottery tickets, so there’s a good bet there’s one not too far from your home or office. But if you want to be sure, try this search locator. Bring cash.
There also are four Charlotte-area spots where you can buy tickets at the gas pump, including at Murphy USA on Galleria Boulevard near Matthews.
When will the winners be chosen?
The Powerball drawings occur at 10:59 p.m. (EST). In the Charlotte area, you can watch the drawings live on WAXN-TV (Channel 64). Or find it online at the NC lottery site.
What are my odds of winning?
Take a deep breath. You have a one in 292.2 million chance of matching all six numbers.
But the Carolinas have seen big wins before. In September 2013, a ticket sold at a Lexington, S.C. convenience store won a $399.4 million jackpot. The winner, who chose to remain anonymous, took a $233 million cash payout, according to The State in Columbia.
And last February, a Brunswick County woman was one of three winners of the $564.1 million Powerball – the fifth-largest prize in game history. She also took a lump payment, this one equal to $127 million before taxes.
Good luck. The Associated Press contributed.
This story was originally published January 13, 2016 at 11:25 AM with the headline "How late can you buy a Powerball ticket for $1.5 billion jackpot?."