Who Won the Powerball Last Night: Missouri and Texas Tickets Share $1.787 Billion Jackpot

Two winning tickets for Saturday night's Powerball jackpot, which reached a staggering $1.787 billion, were sold in Missouri and Texas. This prize is recorded as the second-largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history. The winners will make a choice between an annuitized prize of $893.5 million, distributed as an initial payment followed by 29 annual increments, or a lump sum payment of $410.3 million, each option subject to federal and possibly state taxes.

The Texas winning ticket was sold at Big's convenience store located in Fredericksburg, with details of the Missouri winning ticket location pending announcement. State procedures dictate the time frame for publicizing ticket sale locations. In addition to the jackpot winners, two additional tickets, one in Kansas and another in Texas, matched five white balls with the Power Play option, earning each a $2 million prize. Across the country, another 18 tickets secured $1 million each by matching all five white balls.

The winning numbers drawn on the night were 11, 23, 44, 61, 62, with the red Powerball being 17. After 42 drawings without a major winner, this Powerball win marks a significant end to a long streak of rollovers. The odds of claiming the jackpot were calculated to be 1 in 292.2 million. With the recent draw concluded, the jackpot now resets to $20 million for the upcoming Monday drawing.

In line with the tradition that accompanies large lottery wins, the identities of the Missouri and Texas winners have not yet been disclosed. Discussions on potential tax implications reveal that post-federal taxation, the take-home cash amount for each winner from the lump sum option would approximate $258.5 million, though state taxes could affect the Missouri winner's total. Texas does not impose state income tax, affecting the net result for its winner favorably.

This massive windfall follows the record $2.04 billion prize won in California in November 2022. Powerball tickets are available for purchase in 45 states, Washington, D.C., as well as Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The vibrant draw on Saturday renewed interest nationwide as players anticipated one of the largest lottery prizes ever offered.

The Multi-State Lottery Association, which oversees the Powerball game, reminds all players to check their tickets, considering the game’s extensive prize tiers. More than 9.9 million tickets yielded smaller cash prizes in the most recent drawing. Powerball continues to hold its draw on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday, broadcast live from Florida, with tickets maintaining a price point of $2.

For the winners, unraveling the potential financial impact of such an opulent prize could soon become a reality. Along with immense possibilities, the lottery organization has advised winners to consider their long-term financial management strategies carefully. The spotlight remains fixed on the subsequent drawing, as the Powerball narrative unfolds yet again for hopeful future millionaires.