A North Carolina lottery player started the new year off a winner after claiming a big jackpot prize, lottery officials said. Gary Thomas won $496,217 when he matched all five numbers in the Dec. 1 drawing of the Carolina Cash 5 game, the North Carolina Education Lottery said in a Jan. 3 news release.

Lottery jackpots have been soaring to new heights, with a Mega Millions drawing for $1.22 billion scheduled for Friday night in what could be the ninth-largest jackpot in the world. So, what’s driving these record-breaking prizes?

Two North Carolina lottery players scored big wins in the same game. N.C. Education Lottery Two lottery players hit the jackpot on back-to-back nights, making for a lucky week in North Carolina. The players bought Carolina Cash 5 game tickets that matched all the numbers picked in the drawings on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day,

The ticket buyer spent $30 to play and beat the 1-in-6,000,000 odds of winning the top prize in the scratch-off game, according to the Georgia Lottery. Valdosta is the seat of Lowndes County, which is on the state’s southern border.

One lucky lottery player is starting the new year off with a bang after their ticket landed them a massive win. When someone wins the lottery, especially if it's a life-changing sum like $1 million or more,