Christmas has come early this year for a fortunate individual who purchased a Powerball ticket at a gas station in Cabot, Arkansas, situated just outside Little Rock. This ticket was deemed a winner in the Christmas Eve drawing, securing a staggering prize of over $1.8 billion—the second-largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history. The draw marks the end of a three-month dry spell without a top prize winner.
The winning ticket was sold at a Murphy USA gas station, located in the suburban area of Cabot, which has a population of around 27,000 residents. Despite efforts to reach the store for comments, no response was received. However, a spokesperson for Murphy USA, Alejandra Barron, mentioned in an email that their locations experienced a significant surge in ticket sales on Christmas Eve. This isn’t the first major win associated with Murphy USA; last year, an $800 million Mega Millions jackpot was also sold at one of their stores.
The atmosphere in Cabot is buzzing with speculation about the identity of the lucky winner. Mayor Ken Kincade remarked, “It’s all over Facebook, Twitter. Everyone’s talking about it and wants to know who it is.” Given the gas station’s proximity to a major interstate, Kincade suggested that the winner might not even be a local resident, although he expressed hope that it would be someone from Cabot.
In terms of the next steps, Arkansas lottery winners have a six-month window to claim their prizes, as clarified by Karen Reynolds, a spokesperson for the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery. Those winning more than $500,000 can opt for confidentiality for up to three years, although certain conditions apply, especially for public figures and their close relatives.
Tax implications also await the winner, as lottery earnings in Arkansas are subject to state individual income tax, which has a top rate of 3.9%. Should the winner choose the lump sum cash payment option of $834.9 million, they would be facing a tax liability of more than $32 million. Arkansas law also stipulates that any overdue taxes, delinquent child support payments, or other financial judgments could be deducted from lottery winnings.
The excitement surrounding the Powerball jackpot is heightened by the fact that the last Christmas Eve winner was recorded in 2011, and the game has witnessed victories on Christmas Day four times since then, the last being in 2013. Designed to create substantial jackpots, Powerball boasts odds of 1 in 292.2 million. Although the odds for winning the grand prize are steep, officials remind players that chances of securing smaller prizes are significantly better. Tickets are priced at $2 and the game is accessible in 45 states, along with Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The winning numbers from this remarkable drawing were 04, 25, 31, 52, and 59, with the Powerball number being 19. The extraordinary sum yet again underscores the allure and excitement surrounding lottery games that draw in millions of hopeful players.
