$10 Ticket Turns Into $626K Jackpot in North Carolina

A $10 bet just turned into a life-changing win for one lucky North Carolina player.

On Sept. 10, someone playing the online Monopoly game smashed the odds—about 1 in 5 million—to grab a jackpot worth $626,543. That’s right, a small online ticket turned into more than half a million dollars overnight.

Here’s what makes it even more exciting:

• Monopoly tickets start at just 50 cents.

• The game is a progressive jackpot, meaning the prize keeps growing until someone wins.

• To land the top prize, players need to match a set of digital icons.

Lottery officials said the winner lives in Ocean Isle Beach, a small coastal town close to the South Carolina border. As of early afternoon on Sept. 10, the big winner hadn’t come forward yet. They’ll have about six months to claim their prize.

It’s not just about the win—what’s wild is how unpredictable these online instant games are. Officials can’t even tell where players are when they click “buy.” They only know the hometown of the person who scored this jackpot.

And while this story is about hitting it big, it’s worth remembering: gambling can be fun for many, but it can also become a serious problem. If you or someone you know is struggling, help is just a call away at 1-800-522-4700.