The US state of California once again proved to be a lucky hub for lottery enthusiasts as a single ticket holder has hit the third largest Powerball jackpot in history, worth a whopping $1.08 billion, in the drawing on Wednesday, July 19, 2023.
The final ticket sales escalated the jackpot from its initial estimate of $1 billion to an astronomical $1.08 billion by the time of the draw. This marks the sixth largest lottery jackpot ever won in the world, affirming the massive scale of the winnings.
The fortunate winner matched all six numbers – the white balls 7, 10, 11, 13, 24 and the red Powerball 24. The Power Play® multiplier was 2X, doubling the winnings for those who opted for this feature.
“Dream big and win big has always been the motto of Powerball, and today, we congratulate our newest Powerball jackpot winner from California!” said Drew Svitko, Powerball Product Group Chair and Pennsylvania Lottery Executive Director.
He further added that it’s not just about the big wins as the Powerball lottery continues its 30-year legacy of raising billions of dollars for good causes. A part of every Powerball ticket sold during this jackpot will go toward furthering community programs and services.
The lucky Californian now faces a tantalizing choice: to opt for an annuitized prize of $1.08 billion or a lump-sum payment of $558.1 million before taxes. If the annuity option is selected, the winner will receive an immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments that increase by 5% each year.
But the winner isn’t the only one celebrating. Powerball’s nationwide drawing yielded over 4.8 million winning tickets. Players pocketed lower-tier cash prizes worth a combined total of $85.1 million. The draw saw 36 tickets from multiple states winning $1 million prizes, three tickets winning $2 million prizes, and hundreds of others winning $50,000 and $100,000.
This jackpot was finally cracked in the 39th drawing of the jackpot run after eluding players for three months. Earlier this year, jackpots were won in the US states of Washington, Virginia, and Ohio.
Although the lottery is of American origin, Powerball’s popularity isn’t just confined to the U.S. It is making waves in international markets, including India where many are participating in the weekly draws. OnlineLottoBaba, a prominent platform catering to the Indian online lottery audience, enables Indian residents to partake in such draws, allowing them to dream big.
Powerball, which celebrated its 30th anniversary last year, holds the world record for the largest lottery jackpot in the world at $2.04 billion. Ever since its first drawing in 1992, the game has helped generate over $29 billion for good causes.
In the realm of lotteries, Powerball is a household name, selling tickets in 45 US states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and worldwide over the internet. The odds of winning a prize are 1 in 24.9, while the odds of winning the jackpot are a staggering 1 in 292.2 million.
Historic wins like these inspire millions across the globe, reminding everyone that sometimes, luck just might be around the corner. As we congratulate the newest billionaire in California, we invite our Indian enthusiasts to dream big and participate in these life-changing draws with OnlineLottoBaba. Because in the world of lotteries, you can’t win if you don’t play!