The big winner’s rolling the dice on privacy!
The mystery Powerball player who won $1.82 billion on Christmas Eve can remain anonymous — but only for three years, according to lottery officials.
The lucky ticket holder, who raked in the second-largest jackpot in lotto history, can stay under wraps likely until late 2028, when their identity becomes public record in the state of Arkansas.
Under Arkansas state law, winners of jackpots $500,000 or more may choose to keep their identity private for three years after claiming the prize.
By contrast, winners in roughly 20 other states can remain anonymous depending on how high the jackpot is and other restrictions.
But the Christmas Eve winner — who hit it big at Murphy USA gas station in Cabot, Arkansas Wednesday — won’t be able to claim their cash for five days after the drawing, when the state’s lottery center reopens Monday.
The ticket holder will have to wait due to the long holiday weekend, lottery officials said. In total, he or she has 180 days — roughly six months — to officially claim the prize.
The player can choose between the $1.82 billion prize paid out over 29 years or the one-time lump sum of $834.9 million.
The winning numbers for the Christmas Eve drawing were 4, 25, 31, 52, 59 and the Powerball 19.
The drawing was initially marketed at $1.7 billion, but the pot was raised to the sky-high number after final ticket sales were tallied.
Edwin Castro won the biggest Powerball jackpot ever — $2.04 billion — in California on November 7, 2022.
Read the full article here
