A lucky California ticketholder has landed one of the most substantial lottery prizes in history, securing a staggering $1.7 billion (£1.4 billion) during the Powerball drawing on Wednesday evening.
The winning digits are: 22, 24, 40, 52, 64, with the Powerball being 10. This life-changing ticket was purchased from Midway Market & Liquor located in Frazier Park, as confirmed by the California Lottery authorities.
This newly-minted billionaire hails from California and is now faced with a decision: to opt for the entire jackpot spread across 30 yearly payments or to take a one-time cash payout of approximately $774.1 million (£628.3 million).
The last-minute ticket purchases elevated the jackpot from its projected $1.73 billion to a whopping $1.77 billion during the draw.
This monumental win is second only to the record-breaking $2.04 billion prize claimed last November, which made global headlines.
The jackpot had grown exponentially due to 36 successive rollovers since the last significant win of just above $1 billion on 19th July. This roll-over sequence is only surpassed by a record 41 consecutive draws from 2021 to 2022.
With odds standing at a staggering 1 in 292.2 million, one has a higher chance of being hit by lightning within the year — a probability of 1 in 1.22 million, as per the US National Weather Service’s data.
Such astronomical odds mean jackpot victories are rare, yet countless optimists continue to invest in the $2 (£1.60) tickets, hoping to defy the odds.
Powerball tickets are sold across 45 US states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the US Virgin Islands.
Interestingly, over half of the ticket’s revenue stays within the region where it’s bought.
The Powerball takes place thrice weekly in the Florida Lottery studio in Tallahassee — every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
It’s crucial to remember that federal taxes apply to these winnings, and many state jurisdictions will levy their own tax on the prize.
