6-6-6: The 'number of the beast' wins North Carolina Lottery players $2.1 million

If you think of any lucky number, the number 6-6-6 probably doesn't come to mind. However, the number often associated with the devil paid off big time for North Carolina Lottery players this week.

Trips win for North Carolina Pick 3 draw

Combinations of three of the same numbers, known as “trips,” are some of the most popular sets of numbers played in any state lottery. And it paid off for those who play trips in the North Carolina Pick 3 afternoon drawing on May 6.

The midday Pick 3 drawing ended up coming in at 6-6-6, which delivered $2.1 million in prizes that played the winning combination.

In total, there were 5,662 winning tickets that matched all three numbers. For the North Carolina Pick 3, any player with a fifty-cent ticket won $250, and a player with a $1 ticket won $500.

While the trips betting style is popular, the odds of matching exactly all three in a Pick 3 drawing are 1 in 1,000, no matter what three numbers you pick.

For those lucky players who won with the 6-6-6 combination, you have 180 days to claim your prize from the May 6 draw date.

Winning for education

Since its inception, the North Carolina Lottery has raised more than $10 billion for education in the state. The Lottery raised more than $1 billion last year alone.

While that is always nice to hear, do you ever wonder where the money raised by the Lottery goes? The North Carolina Lottery supports education programs in all of North Carolina's 100 counties. While the money raised by the Lottery only represents a portion of the state's overall education budget, it still makes a difference.

Here are some ways the North Carolina Lottery money has helped schools in the state:

• School construction - To give students modern, up-to-date places to learn, counties use the money raised by the Lottery to help build, repair, and renovate schools. In 2023, counties received $100 million in lottery funds for school construction and $50 million for repair and renovation projects.
• Needs-based school construction - A needs-based grant program was started in 2017 by legislators. This program uses Lottery money to help smaller counties to build new schools and renovate older buildings. In 2023, over $337 million helped 30 counties meet their school construction needs.
• Pre-K - This program helps four-year-old children who are at risk of falling behind their peers as they get ready for kindergarten. Thanks to the North Carolina Lottery, 13,449 children across the state received a free academic preschool experience last year.
• School staff - Schools run because of the staff working at them. The Lottery gave $386 million in lottery funds last year to help support the operations of public and charter schools, including the costs of support staff.
• College scholarships and grants - Money from the Lottery provides scholarships and grants based on financial need to help students cover the costs of attending a state university or community college in North Carolina.
• School transportation - Students have up-to-date schools to learn in, but they also need help getting to those schools. The Lottery funds also help cover costs for school-provided transportation, like salaries for bus drivers, fuel, and other related costs.

Enjoy playing the North Carolina Lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.