An Arkansas Powerball player has won an astounding $1.817 billion (£1.34 billion) jackpot in a Christmas Eve drawing, marking it as the second-largest lottery prize ever claimed. The single winning ticket matched all six numbers: 4, 25, 31, 52, 59, and the red Powerball 19. The winner has the option of receiving a lump-sum cash payment amounting to $834.9 million.
This event marks only the second occasion a Powerball jackpot has been won by a ticket sold in Arkansas, as noted by the lottery operator. The identity of the winner has not been disclosed by Powerball.
The largest single-ticket prize to date remains the $2.04 billion jackpot won in 2022 by a player in Altadena, California. To secure the jackpot, a lottery ticket holder must match all five white balls and the red Powerball drawn during the event.
Lottery tickets are priced at $2 each, with the odds of winning the jackpot standing at 1 in 292.2 million, according to game organizers. Winners have the choice of selecting a lump-sum payment or receiving the total winnings in an annuity paid over 29 years, though most opt for the upfront cash option.
The Powerball game, which commenced in 1992, is available in 45 of the 50 US states, the capital city of Washington, and the US territories of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The winnings are subject to federal taxes ranging from 24% to 37%, and, in most cases, state taxes also apply.
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