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Winner of $1 billion Powerball jackpot officially steps forward

The anonymous Illinois winner has officially claimed the $1.040 billion Powerball jackpot. ©Image Credit: Powerball

The mystery billionaire from Illinois is not a mystery anymore. The winner of Powerball’s $1.040 billion jackpot, drawn weeks ago, has officially stepped forward to claim the massive prize. The winning ticket came from the August 12 drawing and was sold at a Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh convenience store in Quincy, Illinois, about two hours north of St. Louis, according to the Illinois Lottery. Despite suddenly having access to a nine-figure fortune, the winner has decided to remain anonymous. But here is all we know about the win.

Disbelief came first

The winner said they did not believe they had won at first. According to them, they initially called a family member to confirm that the numbers on their ticket actually matched the winning combination.

The winning numbers were 4, 26, 66, 67 and 69, with the red Powerball being 9. The drawing also included a 2X Power Play multiplier. The winner spent several weeks working with legal and financial advisors before officially claiming the prize, according to lottery officials.

The billion-dollar jackpot was not actually a billion-dollar check

The winner chose the lump-sum option rather than receiving the prize as an annuity. That means the headline-grabbing $1.040 billion jackpot became an estimated $450.5 million before taxes as a one-time payment.

Still, not exactly a bad Tuesday. The winner described the experience as an emotional roller coaster, moving from disbelief and shock to what they called overwhelming elation. “Even after claiming the prize, I’m still processing the news,” the winner said.

Illinois has seen an even bigger lottery win

This $1.040 billion Powerball prize is the second-largest lottery prize ever won in Illinois, according to lottery officials. It was surpassed by a $1.337 billion Mega Millions jackpot won by two people who purchased a ticket in Des Plaines on July 29, 2022.

Illinois Lottery Director Harold Mays called the latest win a historic event and said officials were excited to welcome the anonymous winner. For the person holding that winning ticket, though, the historic part probably feels a lot less interesting than having their bank account changed forever.

Sources: WFTV, Yahoo Finance

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