Ticket bought in Florida wins record US$590.5m lottery
Source: AFP |
May 20, 2013, Monday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
ONE ticket-holder won a record Powerball lottery jackpot of more than US$590 million, organizers said yesterday, ending a days-long American quest for a life-changing payout.
The winning numbers were 10, 13, 14, 22, 52 and a Powerball of 11 and the winning ticket was sold in Florida, according to the competition's website.
US media quoted lottery officials as putting the winning purse at US$590.5 million. Powerball did not name the winner but said further details were to be released later yesterday.
Americans by the droves plunked down their cash on Saturday in a last-minute push for a chance at scooping the top prize, snapping up the US$2 tickets at supermarkets, corner stores and gas stations.
The jackpot had been trailed as "the largest in the 21-year history of the game," the Iowa state lottery agency said in a statement before the draw.
The prediction proved accurate, narrowly surpassing a November 2012 Powerball jackpot of US$587.5 million.
"Strong sales across the country are the reason the prize is taking big jumps now," the organizers said - particularly after the May 15 draw, when the jackpot stood at US$363.9 million and there was no winner.
Sales were also boosted after Powerball tickets became available in California starting in April, the 43rd US state to join the competition.
Powerball - a shared jackpot coordinated by the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL), formed by the participating state lotteries - cannot be played from outside the US or outside participating states.
The game presents a choice of five numbers from a pool of 59, plus a Powerball number from a separate pool of 35.
Like all US lotteries, the winnings are subject to tax.
The richest US lottery jackpot of all time is US$656 million, won in a Mega Millions draw in March 2012 and split between three tickets in Illinois, Kansas and Maryland.
Back then, when entering cost US$1, big lines of customers formed for three days, said Rajendra Prasad Bhusal, an employee at the Continental Wine and Liquor store in downtown Washington.
Hopefuls have again streamed in to buy Powerball tickets, but the crowd is only a third of the numbers seen in March last year, Bhusal said.
"Now, people complain that the tickets cost too much," he added.
The Powerball website had put the odds of winning at one in 175,223,510. For a comparison, the chance of getting struck by lighting in the US is one in 280,000, said the National Lightning Safety Institute.
The winning numbers were 10, 13, 14, 22, 52 and a Powerball of 11 and the winning ticket was sold in Florida, according to the competition's website.
US media quoted lottery officials as putting the winning purse at US$590.5 million. Powerball did not name the winner but said further details were to be released later yesterday.
Americans by the droves plunked down their cash on Saturday in a last-minute push for a chance at scooping the top prize, snapping up the US$2 tickets at supermarkets, corner stores and gas stations.
The jackpot had been trailed as "the largest in the 21-year history of the game," the Iowa state lottery agency said in a statement before the draw.
The prediction proved accurate, narrowly surpassing a November 2012 Powerball jackpot of US$587.5 million.
"Strong sales across the country are the reason the prize is taking big jumps now," the organizers said - particularly after the May 15 draw, when the jackpot stood at US$363.9 million and there was no winner.
Sales were also boosted after Powerball tickets became available in California starting in April, the 43rd US state to join the competition.
Powerball - a shared jackpot coordinated by the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL), formed by the participating state lotteries - cannot be played from outside the US or outside participating states.
The game presents a choice of five numbers from a pool of 59, plus a Powerball number from a separate pool of 35.
Like all US lotteries, the winnings are subject to tax.
The richest US lottery jackpot of all time is US$656 million, won in a Mega Millions draw in March 2012 and split between three tickets in Illinois, Kansas and Maryland.
Back then, when entering cost US$1, big lines of customers formed for three days, said Rajendra Prasad Bhusal, an employee at the Continental Wine and Liquor store in downtown Washington.
Hopefuls have again streamed in to buy Powerball tickets, but the crowd is only a third of the numbers seen in March last year, Bhusal said.
"Now, people complain that the tickets cost too much," he added.
The Powerball website had put the odds of winning at one in 175,223,510. For a comparison, the chance of getting struck by lighting in the US is one in 280,000, said the National Lightning Safety Institute.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
