Who won historic $1.8 billion Powerball jackpot?

A single ticket sold in Arkansas has won the historic $1.817 billion Powerball jackpot from Wednesday night’s drawing, claiming the second-largest lottery prize in U.S. history.

With this winning, the record 47-draw jackpot run ended. The winner announced on Christmas Eve had two options i.e., an annuitized $1.817 billion paid over 29 years or a lump sum cash payment of $834.9 million, both amounts before taxes.

Beside the grand prize winner in Arkansas, New Yorkers claimed two major winnings. Ticket sold at Smiley’s Stop n Shop in Sidney and Ultra Fuel in Lindenhurst each matched all five white balls, earning $1 million prizes.

New York players also claimed eight $50,000 wins among thousands of smaller prizes.

Nationwide, eight tickets matched all five white balls to win at least $1 million, with winners in California, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

This marks only the second time in Powerball history with back-to-back billion-dollar jackpot, following a $1.787 billion prize split by tickets in Missouri and Texas on September 6th.

The largest U.S. lottery jackpot was a $2.04 billion Powerball prize won in California in 2022.