A mystery person in the US won a whopping $842.4 million Powerball jackpot on the first day of 2024. According to NBC News, lottery officials announced that a single ticket matched all six numbers drawn on January 1, winning the $842.4 million prize, which is the fifth-largest Powerball jackpot of all time. However, the person has yet to reach out to the lottery to claim the prize.
Michigan Lottery spokesman Jake Harris said that's not unusual. "In most cases, folks will wait a little bit to wrap their mind around what has just happened to them, and then they'll give us a call when they are ready for us to walk them through the claim process," he said. Winners have a year to claim their winnings.
As per ABC News, the lucky winner bought the ticket at the Food Castle in Grand Blanc, Michigan, located just outside Flint, the Lottery said.
According to Forbes, the winner will have to choose between receiving a $842.4 million payout spread over 30 annual installments or a lump sum cash amount of $425.2 million. If the cash prize is chosen, the winnings will drop to $323.15 million after a mandatory federal tax withholding of 24%.
''What an incredible beginning to the New Year for Powerball!” Drew Svitko. In addition to our big jackpot winner, there are hundreds of good causes supported by U.S. lotteries that will receive further funding from this jackpot run. Thank you to our players for making this possible! Happy New Year,'' Powerball Product Group Chair and Pennsylvania Lottery Executive Director, said in a news release.
The New Year's Day jackpot was the fifth-largest ever won in the multi-jurisdictional, government-run lottery, which started in 1992. It is also the 10th-largest jackpot won in US lottery history and the second-largest lottery jackpot ever won in Michigan.
The chance of winning the Powerball jackpot is 1 in 292.2 million.
Speaking of big lottery wins, a woman from United States' North Carolina collapsed on live television after it was announced that she became the first winner of Powerball Millionaire of 2024, New York Post reported.
Pamela Bradshaw won $1 million on 'Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve and the host Ryan Seacrest announced the life-changing news, declaring, “Pamela! You're a millionaire!” Overwhelmed with joy, Ms Bradshaw fell to the ground, later getting back on her feet with the help of her daughter.
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