Raleigh residents dream big as Powerball jackpot tops $1 billion

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Here's a question. Would you really need to think about how best to spend $1 billion in lottery winnings?

Some say no. Others say yes. Either way, should a lucky winner pick all of the correct numbers in this evening's Powerball drawing, they are set to win $1 billion.

Assuming they take the cash value, that's a payday of an estimated $483.8 million.

"Nah, I got high blood pressure. I don't need that," said Andrew Hinton outside of Eagles Express in Raleigh. However, if he does win, Hinton has zero plans of returning to work he said, while cracking a laugh.

"I'll stay right here. This is my hometown," said Patricia Hinton. "I ain't moving nowhere. I'll be right here. And I'll keep working, too."

Their comments come as hype over such a large jackpot continues to swell.

According to North Carolina Lottery officials, there have been five Powerball jackpot winners in state history. Since 2014, there have only been two. There was a $188 million winner in 2015 followed by the state's largest winner in 2019 for a whopping $344.6 million.

Meanwhile, Raleigh's Aubrey Smith plans to settle his winnings with the Internal Revenue Service and pay his tithes.

"You don't want to get caught with the IRS owing them," Smith said. "And you gotta give God back his due."

If your plans included buying the most expensive piece of residential real estate in the state, you'll still have plenty of money left over.

According to Ivester Jackson Properties, there is a sprawling 12,190 square foot property with seven bedrooms and seven bathrooms in the western North Carolina town of Highlands for sale.

The address is 581 Sagee Woods Drive, with a listed price of $49,999,999.

The website boasts the pad to buyers by describing it as "Sagee's panoramic vistas take in long-range views of three states, yet position her just 7 minutes from dynamic Highlands and its thriving arts and cultural scene."

"I need to go get me a ticket then. Soon as I pump my gas, I'm going to go get me a ticket," said Smith.

State lottery officials told ABC11 that this current Powerball run has netted more than $19 million for education in North Carolina.