Man Wins 2 Billion

[Su Mcdowall]

The grand prize, which had an estimated lump sum payout of $756.6 million, continued its ascent through billion-dollar territory after no ticket matched all six numbers drawn on Monday night, Powerball said.

Florida had at least one ticket on Monday that matched five and got the power play number, all adding up to a $2 million win. There were match five winners who won $1 million in California, Indiana, Oregon and Virginia.

Powerball drawings are broadcast live every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET from the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee. The drawings are also livestreamed online at Powerball.com.

One ticket sold for Tuesday night's Mega Millions drawing matched all six balls to win the estimated $1.128 billion jackpot, according to the Mega Millions website. The winner can also choose the $536.6 million cash option.

Each player selects five numbers from 1 to 70 for the white balls and one number from 1 to 25 for the Mega Ball. However, you can also have the lottery machine generate a random Quick Pick for you. You don't need to be a U.S. citizen or a resident of a particular state where you purchase your ticket.

You can win $2 for the matching just one - the Mega Ball. Short of the jackpot, you can win up to $1 million for matching all five white balls (except in California). You can check all the prize payouts on the Mega Millions site here.

You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Washington D.C. and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.

The deadline for purchasing a Mega Millions ticket varies by state so don't wait until the last minute. It can be 15 minutes to an hour or more before the actual drawing. For some third-party lottery apps, the deadline can be closer to two hours before the drawing. For example, Jackpocket in New Jersey has a deadline of 9:15 p.m. for the 11 p.m. ET drawing.

The annuity option is paid out over time. There is an immediate payment and then 29 annual payments after that, increasing by 5% each year. The cash option is significantly lower than the advertised jackpot, but it is paid in a lump sum. You don't have to wait decades for all the money.

In some states, like New Jersey, you can win a lottery anonymously. That wasn't always the case, but now winners are able to stay anonymous under a law that was signed by Gov. Phil Murphy. In other states, a winner's name and hometown are a matter of public record. Check with your state lottery for more information.

The jackpot has a cash value of $621 million if the winner chooses to take a lump sum rather than an annuity paid over 30 years, with an immediate payout followed by 29 annual installments. The prize is subject to federal taxes, while many states also tax lottery winnings.

The $1.326 billion prize ranks as the eighth largest in U.S. lottery history. As the prizes grow, the drawings attract more ticket sales, which can increase the chance that jackpots will be shared among multiple winners. The odds of winning the top prize are 1 in 292.2 million.

In November 2022, the Powerball drawing for a record $2.04 billion, won by a single ticket sold in southern California, was pushed back by nearly 10 hours. The Minnesota Lottery announced later that there was a technical issue with its two-tiered verification process, which is operated by outside vendors.

A single ticket sold in California won Wednesday night's gargantuan $1.765 billion Powerball jackpot, the second-biggest in U.S. lottery history, Powerball officials say. Late ticket sales sent the grand prize past its earlier estimated $1.73 billion.

There hadn't been any Powerball grand prize winners since a single ticket sold in Los Angeles claimed a $1.08 billion pot of gold on July 19. Wednesday night's drawing was the 36th since then, lottery officials said.

Billion-dollar lottery jackpots have become more common in recent years as both Powerball and Mega Millions have raised ticket prices and lowered the odds of winning the jackpot. According to The Washington Post, Powerball lowered the odds of winning in 2015 from 1 in 175.2 million to where it currently stands, at 1 in 292.2 million.

Just over a week after a winning ticket was sold for a $1.13 billion Mega Millions jackpot, there were no winning tickets for Wednesday night's estimated $1.09 billion Powerball grand prize. So an estimated pot of gold of at least $1.23 billion will be up for grabs in the next Powerball drawing on Saturday night. The amount could rise as more and more tickets are gobbled up.

Players win the jackpot by matching all five white balls and the red Powerball. The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are around 1 in 292.2 million, according to Powerball, but smaller prizes are available. The chances of winning any prize, the smallest of which is $4, are 1 in 24.87.

Cheng Saephan, a 46-year-old immigrant from Laos battling cancer, has defied the odds by winning a staggering $1.3 billion on the Powerball lottery. Officials confirmed Mr Saephan purchased the winning ticket for the April 7th draw in Portland, Oregon.

Choosing to prioritise financial security, Mr Saephan opted for the lump sum payout of $422 million after taxes, which he plans to share equally with his wife and a close friend. This win marks a life-altering turn of fortune for Saephan and his loved ones.

The game has undergone some adjustments recently, most notably an increase in ticket price. This change, along with tweaks to the number selection process, has contributed to the rise of billion-dollar jackpots.

Previously, players picked five numbers from 1 to 59 and a Powerball from 1 to 35. Now, the selection pool for the first five numbers has expanded to 1 to 69, while the Powerball range remains 1 to 26. This seemingly minor shift has significantly impacted the odds of winning the grand prize, making it less likely (1 in 292.2 million compared to 1 in 175.2 million). In short, the new system creates a bigger prize pool but lowers your chances of winning it all.

Someone in the Garden State overcame the odds Tuesday night and won the $1.13 billion Mega Millions jackpot, becoming the game's first big winner of 2024 and smashing a winless streak that dates back to December.

The numbers were selected by the winner, not by Quick Pick -- and it was a one-off, meaning there were no other numbers selected on the ticket, lottery officials said. The winner also did not choose the cash option, but rather the annuity, meaning they'll get the payment doled out over the next 30 years.

"If feels amazing that someone won. I was happy to sell it in my hometown," said Tiyanah Bambaata, the cashier who sold the winning ticket. She sold another Mega Millions ticket to her own mother, just an hour before the winning one was sold.

NJ lottery officials held a press conference there Wednesday to present the retailer with its $30,000 bonus check for selling the jackpot-winning-ticket. The owner of the ShopRite said he will be donating the bonus check money to the local food bank, Fulfill NJ.

"I don't know who the winner is. We know where it was sold and when it was sold, but we don't know who it was sold to," James Carey, New Jersey Lottery Executive Director said. "If you are the winner, sign the back of the ticket, take a picture of it, make a copy of it, put it in a safe place "

"Tell only your closest loved ones, and then I'd urge you to talk to a financial advisor," Carey added. "Nobody is used to going from being a regular person to a millionaire or a hundred-millionaire overnight."

Until the latest drawing, no one had matched all six numbers and won the Mega Millions jackpot since Dec. 8. That amounted to 30 straight drawings without a big winner. The odds of hitting the jackpot are 1 in 302.6 million.

The prize is the eighth-largest in U.S. lottery history and the fifth-largest in Mega Millions history, although because jackpots are always based on actual sales, the official jackpot amount will be determined after sales from all 47 participating jurisdictions are finalized on Wednesday morning.

The multiple-award, indefinite-delivery-indefinite quantity contract, initially awarded in February 2021, includes a five-year base period and a five-year option. Following multiple protests by a competitor, the Air Force notified GDIT in August 2023 that all protests were resolved.

Under the contract, which is expected to start on Nov. 15, GDIT will implement comprehensive security services including information, personnel and communications security as well as counterintelligence analysis and cybersecurity assessments.

For more than 50 years, GDIT has supported the Air Force with critical programs, including those in support of global intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions, automation of security services, and advancement of digital engineering.

General Dynamics is a global aerospace and defense company that offers a broad portfolio of products and services in business aviation; ship construction and repair; land combat vehicles, weapons systems, and munitions; and technology products and services. General Dynamics employs more than 100,000 people worldwide and generated $39.4 billion in revenue in 2022. More information about General Dynamics Information Technology is available at www.gdit.com. More information about General Dynamics is available at www.gd.com.

General Dynamics Information Technology is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status, or any other protected class.

c80f0f1006