The FDA approved two new COVID vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech for distribution in Fall 2023. The CDC has recommended the vaccine for all people six months and older.

FAQ: What you need to know about the 2023 COVID vaccine, flu & RSV vaccines

Shot, COVID vaccine, flu shot, doctor

In the parking lot of Caesars Virginia in Danville, North Carolina license plates dominate. Since the casino opened in May, residents of the Tar Heel state have regularly made the short trip to legalized gambling.

Virginia sees many wins, few losses so far after betting big on casinos

 WRAL Investigates: Could casinos be a boom or bust for NC?

All assets associated with the tag: NCAA Tournament

NCAA Tournament Coverage

On the 40th anniversary of the Wolfpack's upset of the Houston Cougars in the NCAA National Championship game, the Tar Heel Traveler takes a trip down memory lane to 2003 to listen to members of the team recount the dramatic play-by-play leading to the final buzzer-beating moments.

<p>JUST THE WAY YOU LIKE. &gt;&gt; WELCOME BACK. 40 YEARS AGO TODAY, NC STATE WON THE MEN'S BASKETBALL CHAMPIONSHIP IN DRAMATIC FASHION THAT FINAL BUZZER BEATING MOMENT CONSIDERED ONE OF THE GREATEST IN SPORTS HISTORY. ONLY PEOPLE AT HOME GOING 40 YEARS AGO. IT WASN'T THAT LONG AGO, 20 YEARS AGO, SCOTT MASON INTERVIEWED SEVERAL OF THE PLAYERS AND TONIGHT REVISITS THE STORY HE ASSEMBLED. THEN IN 2003, THE CARDIAC PACK. &gt;&gt; TEAM. BUT YES, IT IS TO TELL STORIES COME FROM BEHIND SO MANY TIMES JUST LIKE US. AND YOU THINK ABOUT WHAT ALL THESE 2. IT ALWAYS TO THIS. THAT ONE MOMENT. &gt;&gt; THAT ONE OVER IN A SEASON FULL OF DREAMS. 83 TEAM TALKING ABOUT DREAMING AND THE IMPORTANCE OF DREAMS. IT STARTED WAY BACK THEN WITH THIS MAN TELLING US TO DREAM BIG BECAUSE HE WAS THEY ZONE. WE'RE GOING TO SHOW THE WORLD. ALL YOU NEED TO BELIEVE IN YOURSELF. &gt;&gt; BUT THE REALITY THAT YEAR WAS A 17 10 REGULAR SEASON RECORD. THAT WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH. WE KNEW IT WASN'T GOOD ENOUGH TO GET US INTO THE TOURNAMENT. &gt;&gt; TO GET IN THE TEAM HAD TO FIRST WE ACC TOURNAMENT. &gt;&gt; SO WHAT HAD TO BE ALL OR NOTHING? AND IT WAS ALL NC STATE STATE FACED PEPPERDINE IN THE FIRST ROUND AND BARELY PULLED IT OUT. &gt;&gt; WITH THE WIN THE GAME AND A VEST. &gt;&gt; ADVANCING ALL THE WAY TO THE CHAMPIONSHIP GAME VERSUS HOUSTON. THE GAME WENT BACK AND FORTH AND IN THE CLOSING MINUTE WAS DEAD. EVEN STATE WOULD GET THE BALL BACK FOR ONE FINAL SHOT COACH TO DIAGRAM THE PLATE WALKING OUT. SO LOW. YOU HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING TONIGHT. I WISH YOU WAKE UP. &gt;&gt; AND THEN WE WENT OUT THERE 10 SECONDS LATER, I WOKE UP. THE ROUND. THE CLOCK TICKED OFF. I THREW THE BALL. &gt;&gt; RIGHT TO DAIRY BEEN AND THIS CAME OUT AND GOT A FINGER ON THE BALL IS TIPPED. I CALL &gt;&gt; TIME. &gt;&gt; AND TIME IS RUNNING THAT HE JUST TURNED. HE JUST TURNED THEM OVER THE AGE OF 5. &gt;&gt; ALL I SAW WAS THE BALL EVEN DARE ITS HANDS. I KNOW I CAUGHT IT AND PUT IT IN. AND THAT WAS AND, YOU KNOW, I WAS THAT STORY. SO, YEAH. SO OVER THE FOOTBALL FANS OUTSIDE &gt;&gt; I DROPPED TO MY KNEES I WAS SOBBING. WE ALWAYS HAD THIS THING WHERE, YOU KNOW. UP. &gt;&gt; TO NEVER GIVE UP. WHEN IT DON'T EVER GIVE A THOUGHT. THERE'S NOT A DAY THAT GOES BY. THAT GAME. &gt;&gt; DOES NOT HAVE AN EFFECT ON SOMETHING THAT I DO IN MY LIFE. ONCE THAT HAPPENED WAS THAT WENT AND TAKE THAT AWAY. &gt;&gt; I MEAN, YOU SEE THIS STORY IT STILL HAS THAT SAME EFFECT. YES, CONTINUALLY, YOU KNOW, IT'S SO INTERESTING HOW EVEN WHEN HE CAUGHT THE BALL AND PUT IT IN MY KEYS LIKE THAT, I REALLY YES, WHEN THE GAME WAS THE BEST AND MOST UNEXPECTED ALLEY-OOP IN THE DATE, OF COURSE, APRIL 4TH, 1983 40 YEARS AGO TODAY WHEN NC STATE WON IT ALL WHEN STATE OF THE STATE HE TOOK THAT TITLE. WRAL WAS THERE, OF COURSE. AND YOU CAN GRAB A FLASHBACK OF GAME NIGHT CELEBRATIONS ON CAMPUS VISIT WITH THE PLAYERS AND SEE WHAT IT LOOKED LIKE INSIDE REYNOLDS COLISEUM WHEN THE TEAM RETURNED OUR VIDEOS FROM THE ARCHIVE ARE ON WRAL, SPORTS FAN DOT COM. SOMETHING</p>

Tar Heel Traveler: Cardiac Pack

March Madness is just one week away. The Tar Heel Traveler traveled down to Cullowhee, North Carolina to relive some basketball history. A dramatic, but little known, basketball story involves Western Carolina University, which is responsible for the first official three-point shot in NCAA basketball history.

<p>BE EVEN COLDER IN THE DAYS TO COME. &gt;&gt; MARCH MADNESS OFFICIALLY BEGINS NEXT WEEK. ALTHOUGH YOU KIND OF HINT, IT'S ALREADY KIND OF START RIGHT NOW. RIGHT IN OUR TAR HEEL TRAVELER CAN'T RESIST A GOOD BASKETBALL STORY. TONIGHT. WE FIND HIM IN THE MOUNTAINS AT WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY. SCOTT MASON REVEALS A LITTLE KNOWN FOOTNOTE IN SPORTS HISTORY. &gt;&gt; 11/29/1980, WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY READ GM AN EARLY-SEASON BASKETBALL GAME THAT HELPED CHANGE THE GAME. THAT MADE COLLEGE BASKETBALL HISTORY. &gt;&gt; I THINK THIS IS A GREAT WAY FOR A LOT OF PUBLICITY THINGS TO HAPPEN. A CHANCE FOR THE FIRST OFFICIAL 3 POINT SHOT TO HAPPEN. THIS WAS A PILOT PROGRAM. WELL, IT WAS AN EXPERIMENTAL THE FIRST YEAR A HANDFUL OF COLLEGE CONFERENCES AGREED TO TRY IT. THAT NIGHT TO OTHER ELIGIBLE TEAMS HAD A GAME AT 7.30. YOU KNOW, WE KNEW SOMETHING WAS KIND OF SPECIAL BECAUSE WE STARTED THE GAME AT 7 O'CLOCK. THIS WILL GIVE US A 30 MINUTE JUMP, MOVE IT TO 7 O'CLOCK WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY VERSUS MIDDLE TENNESSEE STATE OF TENNESSEE STATE WAS RANKED IN THE COUNTRY AND WESTERN CAROLINA. HOW GOOD WAS YOUR TEAM THAT SEASON? WE WERE AWFUL. GOOD. THE GATE, THE GATE AND EVERYBODY WAS JUST SORT OF WAITING FOR IT TO HAPPEN. THE THREE-POINT SHOT. THEY WERE 2 SHOTS TAKEN EARLY IN THE GAME AND MISSED COACH WON AN OPPORTUNITY FOR ONE OF US TO HAVE THAT SHOT. SO HE CALLED A TIMEOUT BECAUSE I'M A SPECIAL PLAY. THE GAME RESUME. I LOOKED UP AND RUNNING WAS WIDE OPEN AND NOT JUST IN THE PAST TO WIDE OPEN. RONNIE COST SIDE IS ROSE UP, TOOK THE SHOT FROM 23 FEET OUT AND HE GOT A SHOT OFF AND IT IT WAS NOTHING BUT AND THE REST IS HISTORY. THE FIRST OFFICIAL 3 POINTER IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL HISTORY THAT THEY STOP THE GAME RECORD AT THE TIME AND CONTINUE THE GAME. AND WESTERN CAROLINA WON THE GAME. AND AFTERWARDS, YOU KNOW, WE KIND OF LIKE, OH, YEAH, THAT WAS PRETTY COOL TO COULDN'T STAND. THE HISTORICAL RELEVANCE OF THAT SHOT. YOU HAD NO IDEA THAT 2025 YEARS LATER, 30 YEARS LATER THAT THE 3 POINT FIELD GOAL WOULD BE SUCH A BIG THING AND IT STARTED HERE IN THIS JUNE AT THAT SPOT TO FEEL THAT MOMENT IN HISTORY HAS BEEN THE LAST. YEAH, IT'S BEEN LOST TO KEEP THAT STORY ALIVE. HAS TO BE BROUGHT TO IS BACK TO ITS FULLNESS. YOU'VE GOT TO DO TO GET CAROLINA WHERE YOU'VE GOT WESTERN CAROLINA ALL YEAR THAT MY GOT HIT. THE FIRST REPORTED IN THE BUBBLE IN HISTORY. WE MADE HISTORY AS ALWAYS. WE MADE HISTORY &gt;&gt; WHAT A STORY, OK? HOW ABOUT THIS FOR A FOOTNOTE? THERE HAD BEEN FILM OF THAT FIRST OFFICIAL THREE-POINT SHOT. BUT WESTERN CAROLINA SENT INTO THE NAISMITH BASKETBALL HALL OF FAME WITHOUT MAKING A COPY. AND THEN THE HALL OF FAME LOSS, THE FILM. SO THAT MOMENT IS</p>

Tar Heel Traveler: The three-point shot

A country superstar with North Carolina roots has canceled a concert to attend Saturday night's Battle of the Blues matchup in the NCAA Tournament.



Country star and UNC fan Eric Church cancels show to watch Final Four game

American Roots Festival

Americans are expected to bet more than $3 billion dollars on March Madness this year, according to the American Gaming Association. 75% of those bets are coming from mobile gambling or sports books, which is an all-time high.

As March Madness gambling soars, NC still on the sideline

Legislation could make sports gambling legal across the state

Final Four tickets go on sale months before the NCAA tournament ever starts. For the average fan looking to get in the game now, you're looking a pretty big price tag.

VILLE UPPER 60 SOUNDS PRETTY GOOD TO ME. YEAH. EXACTLY. PERFECT TIMING FOR THE EVENT THAT CAT. >> UNC VERSUS DUKE IN THE FINAL 4. SO MANY STORYLINES SO MUCH HISTORY THERE AND A SPOT IN THE NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP GAME IS ON THE LINE. IF YOU WANT TO BE THERE IT'S NOT EASY. YEAH, 5 ON YOUR SIDE'S KEELY. ARTHUR LOOKS AT WHAT IT WILL COST TO GET THERE. >> TICKETS FOR MARCH MADNESS ACTUALLY GO ON SALE MONTHS AHEAD OF THE TOURNAMENT. IF YOU WANT TO GET IN ON THE ACTION NOW. WELL, THE PRICES ARE TRULY MADDENING. >> UNC STUDENT GABBRIELLA DUNCAN ARGUABLY HAS ONE OF THE BEST SEATS FOR THE DUKE UNC MATCHUP. I PLAY OUT IN SACKS SO I GET TO BE IN THE BACKGROUND. YOU GUESSED IT. SHE'S PART OF THE BAND AND HAS BEEN RIGHT THERE UNDER THE BRIGHT LIGHTS AND TOWERING SCOREBOARD. >> FOR THE ENTIRE TARHEEL MAGICAL MARCH MADNESS RUN HIGH IN THE LAST 3 WEEKS. >> BUT IT'S BEEN AMAZING. >> I WAS NOT EXPECTING ANY OF AVERAGE FAN WILL BE PAYING BIG BUCKS. >> 5 ON YOUR SIDE. PRICE SAID A TRIP FOR 2 TO THE FINAL 4. THE LOWEST PRICE TICKETS CAME IN AT $350. A PIECE. >> PLUS TAXES AND FEES ON TICKETMASTER DOT COM. BUT REMEMBER, THE GAME IS IN THE SUPERDOME. SO THOSE SEATS ARE VERY FAR FROM THE COURT FOR CLOSER TO COURTSIDE. YOU'RE LOOKING AT WELL OVER 20 GRANT. LOOKING AT EXPEDIA LEAVING FRIDAY AND RETURNING SUNDAY, YOU'LL HARDLY FIND ANY ROUND-TRIP FLIGHTS TO NEW ORLEANS OUT OF RALEIGH OR GREENSBORO. SO YOU'RE LIKELY LOOKING HAD A 13 AND A HALF HOUR DRIVE SOME QUICK MATH ON THAT COMES OUT TO $300 IN GAS FOR THE AVERAGE CAR ON HOTELS DOT COM. THE LEAST EXPENSIVE HOTEL WE FOUND WAS $648 FOR 2 NIGHTS. TOTAL IT ALL UP. AND YOU'RE LOOKING AT A MINIMUM OF $1800 TO BE AT THE GAME THAT ALL EYES WILL THIS WEEKEND. I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE REALLY ANXIOUS. I WANT TO SLEEP. >> I'M I'M EXCITED. I KNOW I'M GOING TO THIS CLOSER TO THE TIME WE ACTUALLY PLAY BUT I THINK IT'S A GOOD GAME. AT LEAST. >> IF YOU WANT TO BUY TICKETS, REMEMBER THE NCAA PARTNERS WITH TICKETMASTER UNC PARTNERS WITH STUB HUB. ARE REPUTABLE RESELLERS TO USE AS WELL. BUT JUST USE EXTREME CAUTION WHEN BUYING THROUGH LESSER-KNOWN SITES OR THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA. AS FOR LODGING, AIR BNB IS PUTTING OUT A WARNING TODAY TELLING FOLKS TO BOOK DIRECTLY THROUGH THEIR

Breaking down the cost of attending historic Duke vs. UNC game

5 on Your Side: Breaking down the cost to attend Duke vs. UNC Final Four game

Fans go wild at Gonzaga's campus in Spokane, Washington Saturday night after the team advanced to the NCAA Championship Game on a buzzer-beater in overtime.

Oh, little good. Mhm. Yeah. You're rolling, right? That's not Yeah. Hey, Chris, let's move back a little bit. Watch your step. Yeah. Mhm. Mm mm. Mhm. Mm. 34 Mhm. Yeah. Yeah. All right. They're gonna make their

Gonzaga fans celebrate dramatic Final Four victory

Gonzaga students celebrate dramatic Final Four win

As the number of people infected with coronavirus continues to increase, Gov. Roy Cooper on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in North Carolina to stem the spread of the virus.

Governor declares state of emergency over coronavirus in NC

coronavirus test, lab generic

A Division III men's basketball NCAA Tournament game Friday afternoon at Johns Hopkins University is believed to be the first U.S. sports event held without fans because of the new coronavirus.

No fans at NCAA hoops game due to coronavirus

Many North Carolinians like to bet on their brackets during the NCAA Tournament. But that's against state law, even if it's for a good cause. One state lawmaker is trying to change that.

NC lawmaker wants to legalize NCAA Tournament office pools

'Bracket bill' would make sports betting pools legal in NC 

The couple who wore the costumes of Campbell University's Gaylord and Gladys during their 1992 tournament run are still together and rooting for the Camels.

A couple of Campbell camels remembers run to the NCAA Tournament

Gladys the Campbell camel

The odds of winning this Saturday's Powerball grand prize are 1 in 292,201,338.  , The odds of filling out a perfect March Madness bracket is 1.92 quintillion!

Powerball or perfect bracket? Your odds are better to win the lottery

This is the time of year when anything seems possible. For three weeks, no matter where you go, it's as if the energy in the air is electric. The gasps and exhales that accompany the wins and losses can be heard throughout offices, in local eateries and at home. And the lessons ...