A historic Powerball win saw all six numbers matched, on top of a single ticket scoring the fourth-largest jackpot of over $1.3 billion in the game’s history.
The winning ticket came out of Oregon, with final ticket sales pushing the jackpot past its earlier estimate of $1.3 billion to a grand total of $1.326 billion, now the eighth largest among U.S. lottery jackpot games, Powerball announced.
The lucky winner will now have the choice between a lump sum payment of $621 million minus taxes or an annuitized prize, which will see a yearly amount paid to the winner—also before taxes, according to Powerball.
If the winner selects the annuity option, he will receive one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments that increase by 5 percent each year, Powerball said in a press release.
Powerball added that the drawing was delayed, as one lottery needed additional time to complete the required pre-draw procedures.
“As soon as the procedures were completed, the drawing was held at 2:29 a.m. ET on Sunday at the Florida Lottery draw studio and live streamed on Powerball.com,” as per the press release.
But the jackpot wasn’t the only big win this weekend, as more than 4.5 million winning tickets scored across the country.
Seven of those tickets matched all five white balls to win $1 million prizes. “The $1 million-winning tickets were sold in Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Iowa, Massachusetts, Michigan, and Wyoming.”
In addition, 81 tickets won $50,000 prizes, and 26 tickets won $150,000 prizes.
This year alone the Powerball jackpot was already hit twice, with a previous win in Michigan on New Year’s Day hitting a total of $842.4 million.
The highest jackpot win ever was $2.04 billion. It happened in November 2022 with a ticket purchased in California. This was preceded by two wins in 2021 and followed by another in 2023, with the three totaling $2.18 billion.
A Powerball jackpot is won when a ticket matches all five white balls plus the red Powerball.
The odds of winning any prize in a Powerball drawing are 1 in 24.9, and the odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million, according to the lottery.
Powerball tickets cost $2 per play. According to Powerball, tickets are sold in 45 states, in addition to the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
According to Powerball, over half of ticket sale proceeds remain in the jurisdiction where the ticket was sold.
“Powerball drawings are broadcast live every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. EST from the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee. Powerball drawings are also live streamed on Powerball.com,” according to the press release.
