A Powerball player has come forward to claim a prize worth over $1 billion, bought with a $2 ticket.
The sole winner of the huge jackpot will take home the eighth-largest prize in Powerball history, officials at the Illinois Lottery confirmed on September 15 - a month after the draw on August 12.
The winner, who has chosen to remain anonymous, revealed that they experienced everything from disbelief to shock after finding out that they had won $1.04 billion.
“I initially didn’t believe I had won, so I called a family member to confirm it,” the winner said. “Even after claiming the prize, I’m still processing the news and experiencing the full range of emotions that come with winning a billion-dollar jackpot — from disbelief and shock to overwhelming elation.”
The as-yet unnamed winner also opened up about buying their ticket for just $2.
“I chose a Quick Pick and spent just $2 on a single line of Powerball numbers,” they said. “I never could have imagined that a $2 purchase would lead to a $1.04 billion jackpot.”
The winner added, “This is truly a blessing, and I’m incredibly grateful for this unexpected and extraordinary opportunity.”
The Illinois Lottery confirmed that the winner took the prize as a smaller lump-sum payment, instead of the full amount, which is paid over a number of years.
The lump-sum is valued at around $450.5 million, but that amount is subject to an automatic federal withholding of 24 percent. According to Forbes, the winner could also face a federal marginal rate along with a 4.95 percent tax imposed by the state of Illinois.
The ticket was purchased ahead of the August 12 drawing at the Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh convenience store in Quincy, Illinois. Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh received a $500,000 retailer bonus for selling the ticket.
The numbers chosen by the anonymous winner were 4, 26, 66, 67 and 69. The red Powerball number was 9.
The odds of winning the Powerball grand prize are 1 in 292,201,338.00, according to the brand’s website.
