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North Carolina Man Turns a $2 Ticket Into a $209.3 Million Powerball Win

Updated April 23, 20262 min readExpert verified

Richard Kee Jr. of Roanoke Rapids matched all six numbers for $209.3 million — the second-largest lottery prize ever won in North Carolina.

Jackpot
$209.3 million
Take-home (lump sum)
$68.6 million
Drawn
Jan 21, 2026
Where
Roanoke Rapids, NC

A $2 ticket, a $209 million win

Richard Kee Jr. of Roanoke Rapids, North Carolina, bought a $2 Powerball ticket for the January 21, 2026 drawing and matched all six numbers — 11, 26, 27, 53, 55 and Powerball 12 — to win a $209.3 million jackpot. The North Carolina Education Lottery said it was the second-largest lottery prize ever won in the state.

He bought the winning ticket at West 10th Mart in Roanoke Rapids.

Taking the lump sum

Kee chose the cash option of $95.3 million rather than the 30-year annuity. After federal and state taxes, he took home about $68.6 million, the lottery said.

The store that sold the ticket received a $50,000 bonus.

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This article is reported from published reports and official lottery announcements. Details were accurate as reported; prize amounts and winner details can change as claims are processed — verify with the official operator. Amounts are shown in each game's own currency. TopLotteryOnline is not affiliated with any lottery operator. 18+. Play responsibly.

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