Powerball Jackpot finally has winners; Two tickets in Missouri and Texas split $1.79 billion

Two lottery tickets sold in Missouri and Texas matched all six numbers in Saturday’s(September 6) Powerball drawing, splitting the jackpot of $1.787 billion, the second-largest prize in the game’s history. The winning white balls were 11, 23, 44, 61, 62, and the red Powerball was 17. Winners in Texas and Missouri are allowed to remain anonymous according to state laws.

Each ticket-holder faces the same choice winners always do: take the annuity or the cash option. Under Powerball’s final figures, each winner can elect an annuity share of $895 million (paid as an immediate payment plus 29 annual increases of 5 percent) or a one-time lump sum of $410.3 million, both amounts are before taxes.

“Congratulations to our newest Powerball jackpot winners and the Missouri Lottery and Texas Lottery for selling the winning tickets,” said Matt Strawn, Powerball Product Group Chair and Iowa Lottery CEO, according to its official website. “Each $2 ticket sold during this Powerball jackpot run gave players a chance at the prize, while also supporting vital public programs and services in their communities, and that’s worth celebrating!”

Who can remain anonymous, and for how long to claim

Because the winning tickets were sold in Missouri and Texas, the new multimillionaires will have options under state law to limit publicity:

• Missouri law bars the publication of a lottery winner’s name and identifying details unless the winner requests publicity.
• Texas allows prize winners of $1 million or more to elect anonymity when they claim; the election must be made at the time of the claim and is governed by Texas Lottery rules.

Claim deadlines vary by state; both the Texas and Missouri lotteries require jackpot claims to be filed within 180 days of the draw date. Winners must present and validate their tickets in the state where they were purchased.

How this compares to past mega-wins

Powerball’s top prizes remain dominated by a few runaway jackpots: the $2.04 billion Powerball win in California on Nov. 7, 2022 (the largest on record) still tops the list. The Oct. 11, 2023, Powerball drawing produced the previous second-largest prize, $1.765 billion, a prize later publicly associated with a Frazier Park, California group represented by Theodorus Struyck, who reportedly took a lump sum of about $774.1 million before taxes.