Georgia Powerball ticket wins $478 million jackpot

Wednesday's winning Powerball summons was sold successful Georgia astatine a convenience shop — netting nan fortunate purchaser a $478 cardinal jackpot,  the authorities lottery said. 

Purchased astatine a Quick Mart successful Buford, nan six matching numbers earned nan summons holder nan largest winnings successful nan state's history, according to Georgia Lottery President and CEO Gretchen Corbin. The winning numbers for nan Wednesday, Oct. 23, Powerball drafting were: 2, 15, 27, 29 and 39 and nan Powerball was 20.

Powerball said connected its website that 616,153 tickets sold nationwide won prizes successful Wednesday night's drawing. Two tickets, 1 sold successful Pennsylvania and nan different successful Texas, matched each 5 achromatic balls to triumph $1 cardinal prizes.

The jackpot victor tin return either nan $478.2 cardinal doled retired successful yearly payments aliases a lump sum costs of $230.6 million, some earlier taxes. If nan victor selects nan annuity option, they will person 1 contiguous costs followed by 29 yearly payments.

This was nan first jackpot victor successful nan authorities since 2016, erstwhile mates William and Heather 10 Broeke purchased a $246.8 cardinal winning ticket. They opted to return nan rate payout, which totaled $165,613,511 earlier taxes.

Where was nan winning Powerball summons sold successful Georgia?

The winning summons was sold astatine Quick Mart, located astatine 2155 Buford Dam Road successful Buford, Georgia. Retailers who waste nan jackpot-winning summons gain a $50,000 retailer inducement prize payment, nan lottery said. 

Powerball tickets are sold successful 45 states. Utah, Nevada, Hawaii, Alaska and Alabama do not participate successful nan crippled for a operation of reasons, including objections from conservatives, concerns astir nan effect connected low-income families and a desire not to compete pinch existing gaming operations. Tickets costs $2. 

Players tin either prime their numbers aliases fto a machine randomly make them. One master told CBS News it's amended to usage nan random summons number generators because those machines mightiness amended lucifer what nan Powerball drafting could do.

Even so, nan chances of winning nan jackpot are very slim. According to Powerball, nan wide likelihood of winning a prize are 1 successful 24.9, but nan likelihood of winning nan jackpot are 1 successful 292.2 million. 

To put that successful context, a Powerball subordinate is much apt to beryllium attacked by a grizzly carnivore astatine Yellowstone National Park — about 1 successful 2.7 million, according to nan National Park Service — aliases find a blue lobster successful nan water (1 successful 2 million).

Do we cognize who won nan Powerball jackpot?

The Georgia lottery has not yet announced if nan proprietor of nan winning summons has claimed their prize. Winners successful Georgia person 180 days from nan tie day to declare prizes. When nan victor does travel forward, we still whitethorn not cognize their identity, arsenic group who triumph ample jackpots successful Georgia person nan action to cod their winnings anonymously.

Once nan victor claims their ticket, it will beryllium nan highest azygous payout successful Georgia Lottery history, officials said. This jackpot surpasses nan erstwhile grounds held by a Mega Millions victor from Stone Mountain, who claimed half of a $648 cardinal jackpot and was awarded a rate action of complete $173 million, earlier taxes.

Where and erstwhile was nan erstwhile Powerball jackpot won?

The Powerball jackpot has been won 8 times this year, pinch nan astir caller winning summons anterior to Wednesday's drafting being sold successful California connected August 19, 2024, for a $44.3 cardinal jackpot.

The largest payout successful Powerball history was successful California for a $2.04 cardinal prize successful 2022. In 2016, 3 winners from California, Florida, and Tennessee divided a $1.586 cardinal prize.

The other winners successful 2024 were:

2024 Powerball Jackpots

• Jan. 1, 2024 - $842.4 cardinal – Michigan
• April 6, 2024 - $1.326 cardinal – Oregon
• May 6, 2024 - $214.9 cardinal – Florida
• June 10, 2024 - $226.6 cardinal – New Jersey
• July 3, 2024 - $139.3 cardinal – Ohio
• Aug. 12, 2024 - $213.8 cardinal – Pennsylvania
• Aug. 19, 2024 - $44.3 cardinal – California

Khristopher J. Brooks and Emily Mae Czachor contributed to this report.

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• Georgia
• Powerball