Shari Hunt-Caldwell, 61, earned her big win by playing the Holiday scratch-off game and entering her non-winning tickets into the second-chance drawing, officials said in a Jan. 8 news release. She usually checks the winners online after the drawing but was busy during the Dec. 4 one and didn’t get a chance to look.

“We like to go on cruises,” the winner told lottery officials. “This will make it a lot sweeter next time.” It’s not the first time a lucky lottery player has planned for a vacation. Another North Carolina winner hoped to take a Caribbean cruise after he hit the jackpot, McClatchy News reported in May.

Lucky for Life is a drawing game that offers a top prize of $1,000 a day for life. The Pittsboro player won the second-tier prize of $25,000 a year for life after their ticket mat

The Texas Lottery Commission has added an age verification requirement to its self-service vending machines in an effort to prevent minors from purchasing lottery tickets. The news comes as the commission continues its work to promote “responsible gambling and consumer protection.

Machines read the barcode located on the back of most state-issued IDs, using the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators age verification system.

The Arizona Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Arizona offers Powerball, Mega Millions, The Pick, Triple Twist, Fantasy 5 and Pick 3 as well as Scratchers, Quick Draw and Fast Play.

The Wisconsin Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big. Here’s a look at Jan. 9, 2025, results for each game: Midday: 9-6-7 Get daily updates on the Packers during the season. Evening: 3-7-7 Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.