7,782 lottery tickets strike big with winning numbers 5-5-5

Dec. 16 (UPI) -- The North Carolina Education Lottery said 7,782 winning tickets resulted from a Pick 3 drawing that came up with the numbers 5-5-5.

Lottery officials said in a news release that Friday night's Pick 3 drawing ended with the numbers 5-5-5 being drawn, earning prizes for 7,782 tickets.

Fifty-cent tickets earn winners $250 prizes and $1 tickets earn $500 for a winner, meaning more than $3 million in prizes are expected to be awarded as a result of Friday's drawing.

"Combinations of three of the same numbers, known as 'trips,' are some of the most popular sets of numbers played," the release said. "Whatever three numbers you pick, the odds of matching exactly all three in a Pick 3 drawing are the same: 1 in 1,000."