Ticket bought in Illinois wins $1,000,000,000 Powerball jackpot
A Powerball player in Illinois has become an overnight billionaire after winning a jackpot worth $1.040 billion, the eighth-largest prize in the lottery's history.
The lucky ticket was sold at a Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh gas station in Quincy, Illinois, according to lottery officials.
Wednesday night's draw ended a 43-draw rollover streak that had been building since the last jackpot win on 2 May.
The winning numbers were 4, 26, 66, 67, 69 and Powerball 9, with a single ticket matching every number drawn.
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Powerball said the latest jackpot became the biggest won in the US game so far this year, while also ranking eighth on its all-time jackpot list.
If the winner chooses the annuity, the prize will be paid in 30 graduated instalments over 29 years.
The jackpot had been building since May 2, when a $20 million prize was split between players in Florida and Texas.
That gave Wednesday's winner a long stretch of drawings to wait through before finally hitting every number.
Powerball Product Group Chair Stephen Durrell congratulated the Illinois winner, saying: “For more than three decades, Powerball has shown that a winning ticket can be sold anywhere the game is played.”
More than 3 million tickets also won cash prizes by matching at least one of the numbers.
Five tickets matched all five white balls without hitting the Powerball.
Players in Arizona, Florida and North Carolina won $1 million, while a Massachusetts ticket became a $2 million winner after its owner used the Power Play option.
California's matching ticket was worth $820,520 because non-jackpot prizes there are based on sales and the number of winners.
When is the next Powerball drawing?
The jackpot now resets to $20 million for Saturday night's drawing. Because the advertised prize is below $150 million, the 10X Power Play multiplier will be available.
Powerball drawings take place on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET.
The Illinois win is the third time the Powerball jackpot has been hit in the state, according to the Illinois Lottery.
The winner's identity has not been announced.
For ticket holders, the winning combination was 4-26-66-67-69, with Powerball 9 and a 2X Power Play multiplier. The Illinois ticket was the only one to match all six numbers.
Players who bought tickets for Wednesday's draw are being urged to check them carefully, with millions of smaller prizes also handed out.
The next drawing will begin a fresh jackpot run, while one Illinois ticket holder prepares to claim a prize worth either $1.040 billion over time or $450.5 million upfront, before taxes.
Thomas Bamford