5,151 lottery tickets win after Pick 3 draws 9 1 1

More than 5,000 lottery tickets won top prizes in North Carolina after the Pick 3 numbers landed on 9 1 1. The drawing was held Saturday evening, December 28. The North Carolina Education Lottery said exactly 5,151 tickets matched the three numbers. Those tickets paid out more than $1.43 million combined across the state. Each 50 cent ticket paid $250, while $1 tickets paid $500. Lottery officials said the unusually high number of winners stood out even by Pick 3 standards. The reason is simple and strange. Many players independently choose familiar number patterns, and 9 1 1 is among the most commonly selected combinations. Lottery officials stressed the odds never change. "Whatever three numbers you pick, the odds of matching exactly all three in a Pick 3 drawing are the same: 1 in 1,000," they wrote. Winners have 180 days to claim their prizes. On this night, a number meant for emergencies turned into a statewide payout.