Check your Powerball tickets. Someone in North Carolina won $209 million jackpot

Someone in North Carolina is holding a Powerball ticket worth $209.3 million, according to the N.C. Education Lottery.

It happened in the Wednesday night drawing, so the winner may not yet know.

“The win came with a single ticket that matched all six numbers in the drawing. The winning numbers in the drawing were 11–26−27−53−55 and the Powerball was 12,” N.C. lottery officials reported in a news release.

“The lucky ticket owner has a choice of an annuity of $209.3 million paid in 30 payments over 29 years or a lump sum payment of $95.3 million.”

Odds of winning the jackpot in Powerball are 1 in 292,201,338, according to the game website.

The ticket was purchased at West 10th Mart on West 10th Street in Roanoke Rapids, which is about a 90-mile drive northeast from downtown Raleigh.

Winners have 180 days to claim their prize.

“First we want to say a big congratulations to the lucky winner on this life-changing moment,” N.C. lottery Chief Executive Officer Mark Michalko said in a news release.

“Our advice to the winner is to sign the ticket to establish your ownership of it and secure it in a safe place. We can’t wait to meet the big winner so we can celebrate this momentous occasion with them.”

This is the sixth time North Carolina has had a Powerball jackpot winner, and the eighth time a player in the state has won either a Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot, state officials said.

This story was originally published January 22, 2026 at 10:21 AM.