Record-breaking "epic jackpot" win

By Kate Northrop

A North Carolina man set a new state lottery record with the tap of a button after he tried his luck in a digital instant game and scooped a $1.33 million jackpot.

While sitting behind a screen, one North Carolina man won $1.33 million in a digital instant game, setting a new state record for the largest online instant lottery prize.

Jeffrey Gazaille of Mooresville decided to try his luck last Monday with the North Carolina Lottery's "Bison Bonanza" digital instant game, an online game featuring a progressive jackpot that grows with every ticket purchase.

With a $10 ticket, Gazaille beat the odds of 1 in 3.1 million to win the top level $1.33 million "Epic jackpot," setting a new record in the process.

The win comes after the North Carolina Education Lottery began offering online instant games in November 2023.

Though this win sets a new North Carolina state record, the largest online instant lottery prize in the United States remains a $1.81 million jackpot won by a Virginia player in August 2023.

Gazaille visited Lottery Headquarters in Raleigh to claim his prize, taking home a grand total of $952,001 after state and federal tax withholdings.

The Bison Bonanza jackpot reset to its starting amount of $50,000 with Gazaille's win and currently stands at $146,912. The game is exclusively available on the Lottery's website or mobile app. Players may wager anywhere between 50 cents and $30 in one play, and the odds of winning change depending on the dollar amount spent.