California lottery winner claims $1.7 billion Powerball prize
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A single Powerball ticket sold in California matched all the winning numbers, granting its holder a nearly $2 billion prize.
The identity of the lucky winner is yet to be disclosed, as California regulations do not permit lottery winners to remain anonymous, reported NBC’s Miguel Almaguer for TODAY.
The winning numbers for this life-changing jackpot were 22, 24, 40, 52, 64, with the Powerball number 10.
The life-changing ticket was sold at the Midway Market and Liquor store in Frazier Park, a small community located just over an hour away from Los Angeles.
Regular customers frequenting the store for their tickets raises the possibility that the jackpot winner may be a local resident.
California's rules provide the jackpot winner with up to one year from the draw date to claim the substantial prize.
This timeline offers the winner the necessary space to prepare for the significant changes that accompany such a massive windfall.
The winner also has the option to receive the prize as a lump sum, which amounts to around $774 million.
Final ticket sales on the night pushed the jackpot beyond its advertised estimate to $1.765 billion at the time of the drawing.
This record-breaking prize ranks as the second-largest Powerball jackpot and U.S. lottery jackpot ever won, just behind the world record $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot won in California on Nov. 7, 2022.
“Congratulations to the newest Powerball billionaire and the millions of Powerball players who won other cash prizes in last night’s drawing,” said Drew Svitko, Powerball Product Group Chair and Pennsylvania Lottery Executive Director.
“For 31 years, some players who have dreamed about winning a Powerball jackpot have defied the odds, and in doing so, have helped generate critical funding for public services and programs supported by U.S. lotteries.
“If you bought a Powerball ticket during this jackpot run, please know that a portion of that ticket will stay in your home state to make it a better place to live.”
While the nation awaits the revelation of the winner's identity, the remarkable outcome serves as a reminder of the life-changing potential of the lottery.
Nationwide, the Powerball drawing last night produced more than 5.3 million winning tickets, including seven tickets (CA-2, FL-2, NY, OK, VA) that matched all five white balls to win $1 million prizes.
Two tickets that were sold in Arizona and Pennsylvania matched all five white balls and increased the $1 million prize to $2 million by including the prize multiplier feature, Power Play®, for an additional $1 per play.
There were also 121 tickets that won $50,000 prizes, and 24 tickets that won $100,000 prizes.
The Powerball jackpot was hit in the 36th drawing of the jackpot run, marking the first time that two consecutive Powerball jackpot cycles have produced billion-dollar grand prizes.
The Powerball jackpot was previously won on July 19, when a ticket in California matched all five white balls and the red Powerball® to win a $1.08 billion jackpot.
ABOUT POWERBALL
Powerball tickets are $2 per play. Tickets are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. More than half of all proceeds from the sale of a Powerball ticket remain in the jurisdiction where the ticket was sold. Powerball drawings are broadcast live every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET from the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee. Powerball drawings are also live streamed on Powerball.com.
