One ticket, $1.8 billion: Arkansas powerball winner makes

International

CHRISTMAS Eve brought a record-breaking outcome for the Powerball lottery, with an Arkansas ticket winning a $1.817bn jackpot.

The single winning ticket matched all six numbers drawn: 4, 25, 31, 52, 59 and the red Powerball 19.

The result places the prize among the largest lottery wins ever recorded. The ticket holder can choose between receiving the full jackpot through an annuity paid over 29 years or taking a lump-sum cash option valued at $834.9m.

In a BBC report, lottery officials confirmed the ticket was sold in Arkansas, marking only the second time a Powerball jackpot has been won in the state. Powerball did not disclose the identity of the winner.

The prize ranks as the second-largest lottery jackpot ever claimed. The record remains with a $2.04bn Powerball win in 2022, held by a ticket sold in Altadena, California.

To secure the jackpot, players must correctly match all five white balls and the red Powerball number selected during the drawing.

Powerball tickets cost $2 each, and the odds of winning the top prize are 1 in 292.2 million, according to game organisers.

Winners are given the choice between a lump-sum payout or the full advertised jackpot paid out over nearly three decades, though most opt for the immediate cash option.

Regardless of the payment method, winnings are subject to federal taxes ranging from 24% to 37%, along with state taxes in most cases.

Launched in 1992, Powerball is played in 45 US states, Washington DC, and the US territories of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.(MyTVCebu)