The largest lottery win in the history of the state has finally been recognized by the Arkansas Lottery.
Over the Christmas break, the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery was most likely on vacation. Lottery authorities have finally released information on the Christmas Eve winner after six days.
“Winning Powerball Ticket Worth $1.817 Billion Sold in Cabot,” the Dec. 30 lottery press release was titled. State lotteries typically promote such major wins quickly, but in Arkansas, lottery officials apparently enjoyed their time off before responding to the historic news.
The winning ticket for the second-largest lottery jackpot in US history, as reported by Casino.org. The ticket for the drawing on December 24 was sold at the Murphy USA petrol station in Cabot. The winning numbers—4, 25, 31, 52, 59, and the red Powerball 19—matched the ticket.
Statement from the Lottery
The owner of the life-altering ticket had the choice of accepting a one-time cash payout of $834.9 million or the full annuitized reward paid out through 30 yearly payments of $1.817 billion, according to information provided by Arkansas Scholarship Lottery officials about a week after the historic victory. Both awards are before state taxes of 3.9% and federal taxes of 37%.
“This is a great moment for the state of Arkansas,” said Arkansas Scholarship Lottery Executive Director Sharon Strong.
"For one thing, it will contribute positively to the state tax revenue. Beyond that, the winning ticket was sold at an Arkansas-based company, Murphy USA, bringing the impact full circle. It demonstrates how beneficial the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery is to our state, from the players’ winnings to the retailer commissions that support our local communities and, ultimately, the funds raised for in-state scholarships,” Strong added.
The Cabot Murphy USA convenience store gets a $50,000 commission for selling the winning Powerball ticket. The Powerball run's earnings support the Arkansas Lottery Scholarship's goal of providing cash for student scholarships in Arkansas.
State Alert
Following the game-changing Powerball victory, a number of Arkansas residents have claimed to be the big winner. Anyone who attempts to redeem the reward without being the ticket's legitimate owner faces a Class D felony penalty, according to the Arkansas Lottery.
"Fraudulent tickets will be subject to investigation and could lead to arrest,” advised Arkansas Lottery Scholarship Director of Investigation and Enforcement Blake Hudson.
The Powerball ticket hasn't been used yet. The winner can redeem the prize within 180 days of December 24. Until their identity is made public, the winner may stay anonymous for three years.
However, the three-year anonymity is not granted if the winner is an elected official or a member of an elected official's family.
According to the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery, "an extensive authorization process is in place to validate whether a ticket is a winning ticket." Beware, con artists.
