How to Play North Carolina Cash 5
$1 a play · Every day · 11:22 PM ET
- 1Pick 5 numbers from 1 to 43, or ask for a Quick Pick. Each play is $1.
- 2Add Double Play or EZ Match for $1 more a play each, if you like.
- 3Choose how many drawings in a row to play, up to 28.
- 4Match all 5 numbers to win the jackpot, or 2 to 4 for a set cash prize.
Add-ons
- Double Play$1 moreA second drawing right after each Cash 5 drawing, with your same numbers and prizes up to $50,000.
- EZ Match$1 moreFive instant-win numbers: if one matches any of your Cash 5 numbers, you win its prize on the spot.
You must be 18 or older to buy a ticket or claim a prize. Sales stop 23 minutes before each drawing. See every prize
More Cash 5 rulesHow it works · Jackpot · Prizes · Double Play · EZ Match
- How it works
- Pick 5 numbers from 1 to 43. Match 2 to 5 of the 5 numbers drawn, in any order, to win.
- Jackpot
- The jackpot starts at $100,000 and grows after each drawing it isn't won, by an amount based on sales. Winning plays share it equally, and it's paid in cash. An advertised jackpot above $100,000 is an estimate: the lottery normally pays what's in the jackpot's share of the prize pool, 65.30%.
- Prizes
- The prizes below the jackpot are set: $250 for 4 numbers, $5 for 3 and $1 for 2. If a drawing's 4-of-5 prizes would pass their share of sales, they're paid pari-mutuel instead, never more than $250. Each play wins only its highest prize.
- Double Play
- Double Play is a second drawing of 5 numbers from 1 to 43 right after each Cash 5 drawing, using your Cash 5 numbers, with set prizes of its own: $50,000 for all 5, $500 for 4, $12 for 3 and $3 for 2. If more than five plays match all 5 in one drawing, the $50,000 is paid pari-mutuel. One play can win in both drawings. Double Play is sold only in stores and at self-service terminals, not with Online Play.
- EZ Match
- EZ Match prints five numbers under each play, each with a prize from $2 to $500. Any that matches one of that play's Cash 5 numbers wins its prize right away, so one play can win up to five times without waiting for the drawing. The prizes come from a series of grids that's replaced when its top prizes are won, so the odds shown can change. EZ Match is sold only in stores and at self-service terminals, not with Online Play.
Reviewed by Bishop Woosley, former Director of the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery and NASPL President.
You can't change Cash 5's odds.
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Good to know
- Before You PlayNorth Carolina Lottery Draw Times Drawn every day at 11:22 PM ET. Sales stop at 10:59 PM ET.
- After You WinHow to Claim a North Carolina Lottery Prize Up to $599 at any lottery retailer. You have 180 days to claim.
- Keep MoreNorth Carolina Lottery Tax Calculator North Carolina taxes winnings at 3.99%. 3.99% state tax is withheld from prizes of $600 or more, plus 24% federal tax from prizes over $5,000.
How other North Carolina games are played
Frequently Asked Questions
Answers about North Carolina Cash 5 rules
How do you play North Carolina Cash 5?
Pick 5 numbers from 1 to 43, or ask for a Quick Pick. Each play is $1. Add Double Play or EZ Match for $1 more a play each, if you like. Choose how many drawings in a row to play, up to 28. Match all 5 numbers to win the jackpot, or 2 to 4 for a set cash prize.
What is Double Play in North Carolina Cash 5?
A second drawing right after each Cash 5 drawing, with your same numbers and prizes up to $50,000.
What is EZ Match in North Carolina Cash 5?
Five instant-win numbers: if one matches any of your Cash 5 numbers, you win its prize on the spot.
How much is a Cash 5 ticket in North Carolina?
$1 a play. Add-ons: Double Play ($1 more), EZ Match ($1 more).
How late can you buy North Carolina Cash 5 tickets?
The North Carolina Cash 5 cutoff time is 23 minutes before each drawing: 10:59 PM ET for the 11:22 PM drawing.
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