NC Powerball player wins big with the help of the Power Play multiplier. A Lincoln County woman matched the winning numbers and turned a solid prize into life-changing money. Here’s how the 4X multiplier made all the difference on Monday’s drawing.
🔥 Quick Facts
- Mercedes Spanulo of Denver won the prize from a Monday, December 16 drawing
- She purchased her $3 Powerball ticket at Food Lion on Rebecca Drive in Hillsborough
- The 4X Power Play multiplier quadrupled her $50,000 base prize to $200,000
- After taxes and withholdings, she walked away with $143,501 in cash
How NC Powerball’s Power Play Multiplier Works
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Power Play is an optional add-on feature that costs just $1 extra per Powerball ticket. Players choose to include it when purchasing their $2 base Powerball ticket, making the total cost $3 for a combined Powerball-Power Play ticket. This feature applies uniquely to non-jackpot prizes.
When you add Power Play, the lottery draws a separate multiplier number during the main drawing. Available multipliers are 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X, and occasionally 10X when the jackpot sits at or below $150 million. Whatever multiplier comes up that night applies to all Power Play winners at that prize level. The multiplier does not affect the jackpot prize itself.
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In Spanulo’s case, the Monday drawing produced a 4X multiplier. Her four matching white balls plus the Powerball would have won $50,000 on a standard ticket. With Power Play, that prize automatically quadrupled to $200,000 before taxes.
Understanding the $200,000 Prize Breakdown
The $200,000 prize represents the gross amount before federal and state tax withholdings. North Carolina and federal governments require mandatory tax deductions from lottery winnings. For Spanulo’s prize, these withholdings reduced her final payout to $143,501.
This approximate 28% tax impact is typical for lottery prizes in the $50,000 to $1 million range. Players often overlook the difference between the advertised prize and actual take-home amount. Understanding this gap helps explain why a $200,000 win nets closer to $140,000 in actual cash.
Spanulo claimed her winnings at NC Lottery headquarters in Raleigh on Wednesday, December 17. The NC Education Lottery handles all prize claims and ensures proper tax processing for winners.
Recent Powerball Winners in North Carolina Celebrate Big Moments
| Winner Name | Location | Prize Amount | Drawing Date |
| Mercedes Spanulo | Lincoln County (Denver) | $200,000 | December 16, 2025 |
| Neil Warren | Orange County (Rougemont) | $200,000 | November 15, 2025 |
| Gaston County Ticket | Gastonia | $2,000,000 | December 13, 2025 |
Why Power Play Is Worth the Extra Dollar
The $1 extra investment in Power Play is a popular choice among North Carolina Powerball players. While it doesn’t change your odds of winning or affect the jackpot, it dramatically increases secondary prize payouts. For players matching four white balls plus the Powerball, the difference between $50,000 and $200,000 is substantial.
The overall odds of winning any Powerball prize stand at 1 in 24.87, while jackpot odds are 1 in 292 million. Secondary prizes like the $50,000 or $200,000 (with Power Play) occur much more frequently than the top prize. This makes Power Play strategically valuable for players seeking meaningful wins without requiring a jackpot match.
What’s Next for NC Powerball Players in Late December?
The current Powerball jackpot has surged to $1.25 billion annuity (or $572.1 million cash value as of Wednesday’s drawing). This represents a significant accumulation after multiple drawings without a jackpot winner. The next drawing takes place on Saturday, December 20, giving players another chance to match all six numbers.
While chasing the mega-jackpot remains a long shot, Power Play tickets continue producing mid-tier winners across North Carolina. Spanulo’s experience demonstrates that substantial wins happen regularly to everyday players who choose the Power Play option and get lucky with matching the secondary prize combination.
“A $3 Power Play ticket purchased at the Food Lion on Rebecca Drive in Hillsborough won $200,000 when the 4X multiplier came up.”
— NC Education Lottery, Official Statement
Sources
- NC Education Lottery – Official announcement of Lincoln County $200,000 prize winner
- Powerball.com – Prize structure and odds information
- NC Lottery Official Website – Power Play feature details and claiming procedures
Annabelle Ink is a gaming journalist and lifelong gamer who lives and breathes video game culture. From console releases to esports tournaments, this dedicated journalist brings insider knowledge and genuine enthusiasm to every review and feature. Her expertise spans multiple gaming platforms, helping readers discover their next favorite game while staying connected to the pulse of the gaming industry.