US Powerball raised to $522 million for post-New Year's Day jackpot draw
/UPDATE January 2, 2022 : The Powerball jackpot continues to climb. The jackpot now stands at an estimated $522 million ($371.5 million cash value) for the Monday, Jan. 3 drawing, after no ticket matched all six numbers in the New Year’s Day drawing.
Over a half BILLION dollar prize was up for grabs in the first 2022 US Powerball drawing. The jackpot estimate was raised from $483 million to $500 million ($355.9 million cash value) for the Saturday, Jan. 1 drawing.
This was Powerball’s first drawing on New Year’s Day in two years.
The Powerball jackpot was last claimed in California for the Oct. 4, 2021 drawing when a single ticket won a massive $699.8 million grand prize.
The Albertsons supermarket on Quintana Road in Morro Bay, California, where the $700 million Powerball ticket was sold in October 2021.
Scott Godfrey, the only holder of the highest-paying lottery ticket in California history, came forward to claim his winnings on Dec 10.
Godfrey, who opted for the lump sum total of $496 million before taxes, told lottery officials he and his family wish to remain private, and he has declined any media interviews.
"It feels great to win big, of course, but I’m especially happy that this jackpot means $78 million was raised for California public education," Godfrey told the California Lottery.
Scott Godfrey, the winner of the $699.8 million jackpot, spoke exclusively with KSBY News anchor Nina Lozano in December.
That jackpot ranked as the 5th largest in Powerball history and the 7th largest in U.S. lottery history. Since then, there have been 37 drawings in a row without a jackpot winner.
