Missouri and Texas Players End 42-Drawing Streak, Claiming Second-Largest U.S. Lottery Prize
Two lucky Powerball players, one in Missouri and one in Texas, have become instant multi-millionaires after matching all six numbers in Saturday’s drawing, splitting a colossal $1.787 billion jackpot. The win brings to an end a 42-drawing stretch without a jackpot winner, a run that captivated the nation and produced the second-largest U.S. lottery jackpot on record.
The winning numbers drawn were 11, 23, 44, 61, and 62, with the red Powerball of 17. With the final tally of ticket sales, the jackpot amount was confirmed at $1.787 billion, just shy of the previously advertised figure of around $1.8 billion.
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The size of the prize generated widespread excitement and resulted in millions of smaller prizes being won across the country. Each of the two jackpot winners now faces a life-changing decision: to take their share of the prize as a 30-year annuity or a one-time lump sum payment, both before taxes. Their respective shares are an annuitized $893.5 million or a cash option of $410.3 million.
This monumental win marks the end of a long jackpot drought, which began after the last top-prize claim on May 31. The odds of winning the jackpot were a staggering 1 in 292.2 million, a testament to the immense luck of the two winning ticket holders.
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Powerball, a game played in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, has been a significant source of funding for good causes. Since its inception in 1992, the game has generated over $36 billion for charitable causes supported by U.S. lotteries.
The $1.787 billion jackpot is now officially the second-largest in Powerball history, following the $2.04 billion prize won in California in November 2022. This latest win solidifies Powerball’s place in the annals of U.S. lottery history, with seven of the top ten jackpots now exceeding the billion-dollar mark.
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