Pennsylvania Lottery “Anxious” to Meet $456.7 Million Powerball Winner

The Pennsylvania Lottery is “anxious” to meet its latest and biggest-ever Powerball winner, after a player from the state won $456.7 million on Saturday night. Lottery Executive Director Drew Svitko revealed that the winning ticket was sold in Manheim, Lancaster County, becoming the 18th Pennsylvanian to hit the top Powerball top prize in the game’s history.

Powerball Winner

As the winner is yet to come forward with their lucky ticket, there is very little known about them. They could be a single player or part of a lottery pool, where teams of friends, family members or co-workers band together to improve their odds of winning by sharing the cost of a larger number of tickets than would be affordable for an individual. They then split the prizes they win according to each player’s share of the lines entered.

All that is certain about the Keystone State’s 18th Powerball winner is that they played their lines at a Speedway store in Manheim, which boasts a population of around 5,000 and was the childhood home of WWE wrestler Adam Cole. The borough is located about 75 miles west of Philadelphia.

Claiming Pennsylvania Lottery Prizes

The winner must stake a claim for their prize within a year of the draw date. If you have the $456.7 million ticket, you are advised to sign the back and call the state lottery on 717-702-8146, before heading to its headquarters in Middletown.

Once their claim is validated, they will be able to choose between taking the full $456.7 million in 30 annual instalments over 29 years or banking an instant cash lump sum worth $273.9 million. Either method is subject to tax, with an initial sum withheld before payment and the rest due at the end of the financial year. If you opt for the annuity, you will pay the relevant tax for your situation every year in which you receive a payment.

Big Jackpots

Powerball has now reset to its base of $40 million for Wednesday night’s draw, while Mega Millions continues to grow. You can snap up $421million on Friday 23rd March after Tuesday’s draw ended in a rollover.

Tickets are available at retailers across the participating states, or you can choose your numbers online for the chance to win a nine-figure sum ahead of the weekend!