Arkansas winner claims $1.8B Powerball jackpot, chooses cash option

An Arkansas resident who purchased the winning ticket for Powerball’s $1.817 billion jackpot has claimed their prize.

The winner recently claimed the prize from the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery, opting to receive the prize as a one-time cash payment, according to the lottery.

Before taxes, the lump-sum amount was $834.9 million — the second-largest lottery jackpot ever won in the U.S., the lottery said. 

GEORGIA RESIDENT IDENTIFIED AS WINNER OF $983M MEGA MILLIONS JACKPOT, LARGEST EVER IN STATE

The largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history was won on Nov. 7, 2022, when a California ticket claimed a $2.04 billion prize.

The lottery previously announced that a ticket sold in Arkansas matched the winning numbers drawn on Christmas Eve.

“Everyone was anxiously waiting for the winner to step forward, but we are happy they took the time to seek legal counsel and financial advice first, as we recommended. We are thrilled that the winner is from Arkansas,” Arkansas Scholarship Lottery Executive Director Sharon Strong said in a statement.

Strong continued, “We’re proud to celebrate this moment, not only for our Arkansas winner and for Murphy USA, the Arkansas-based company that sold the winning ticket, but also for the positive impact this historic jackpot will have on our state and our mission to raise funds for in-state scholarships.”

NEW TAX DEDUCTION COULD PUT MORE MONEY BACK IN SENIORS’ POCKETS THIS YEAR

The winner has decided to remain anonymous, the lottery said.

If the winner had chosen the annuity option, they would have received one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments that increase by 5% each year.

According to the lottery, the jackpot spanned a record 47 consecutive drawings, generating more than $15 million in ticket sales in Arkansas, with retailers taking home nearly $750,000 in commissions.

The winning ticket was sold at the Murphy USA convenience store in Cabot, which will also receive a $50,000 commission check.

The white balls drawn on Christmas Eve were 4, 25, 31, 52 and 59. The red Powerball was 19, and the Power Play was 2X.

The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.