North Carolina Player Wins First Powerball Jackpot of 2026
A North Carolina player became the first Powerball jackpot winner of 2026 in last night’s drawing, matching all the numbers to land $209.3 million.
The last two jackpot runs have taken the jackpot way beyond $1 billion, so it always comes as something of a surprise when it is won before it builds up too high. And nobody would have been more surprised than the lucky ticket holder from the Tarheel State who hit all six numbers - 11, 26, 27, 53 and 55, plus Powerball 12.
There were more than 463,000 winning tickets in total, including more than 100,000 enhanced payouts for those players who added the Power Play. The multiplier for the draw was 2x, so all these prizes were doubled.
What Next For The Winner?
The next step for the jackpot winner is to claim their money. They have 180 days to come forward, making July 20 the deadline for contacting the NC Lottery. They may or may not be aware yet of the life-changing turn of events, but either way it is common for winners to take a few weeks to stake their claim. This allows a bit of time for the news to sink in and to seek financial advice.
One big decision to make is whether to take the advertised jackpot as an annuity or go for the cash option of $95.3 million before taxes. Most recent winners have opted for the lump-sum payout, but there are pros and cons to taking the cash or the annuity.
It will also be interesting to see how much more information is released when the claim is finalized. Winner information is regarded as a matter of public record, unless the player can produce a valid protective order or Address Confidentiality Program authorization card.
It is the sixth time that someone from North Carolina has won the Powerball jackpot. The largest payout in the state has been the $344 million that went to Charles W. Jackson, a grandfather from Cumberland County, in June 2019.
The jackpot had been climbing since a single player from Arkansas won $1.816 billion on Christmas Eve. It was the second-biggest win in Powerball history, topping the $1.787 billion that was split between two ticket holders (one from Missouri and one from Texas) three months earlier.
As the wait now begins for the latest winner to claim their prize, the Powerball jackpot will reset to $20 million for the next draw on Saturday. View the winning numbers as soon as they are available, or switch to Mega Millions and the chance to win $266 million in Friday’s drawing.
Published: Thursday, January 22, 2026