A $1.04 billion Powerball jackpot winner in Illinois has finally claimed the prize nearly one month after the August 12 drawing, ending the mystery over who held the winning ticket. The winner, who has chosen to remain anonymous, bought a $2 Quick Pick for a single line of Powerball numbers at Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh in Quincy. The Illinois Lottery confirmed the jackpot was the second-largest lottery prize ever won in Illinois and the eighth-largest in Powerball history. Before claiming the prize, the winner spent several weeks working with professional legal and financial advisers and chose to receive the jackpot as a lump-sum payment.
Who won the $1.04 billion Powerball jackpot
According to the Illinois Lottery, the winning ticket was a Quick Pick purchased for $2. The winner said they had bought a single line of Powerball numbers and had not imagined that the purchase would result in a $1.04 billion jackpot. “This is truly a blessing, and I’m incredibly grateful for this unexpected and extraordinary opportunity,” the winner said.The winning ticket was purchased at Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh at 310 N. 36th St. in Quincy for the August 12 Powerball drawing. The drawing’s $1.04 billion jackpot ranked as the eighth-largest jackpot in Powerball history, according to the Illinois Lottery’s background information.
How did the winner prepare to claim the jackpot
Before claiming the prize, the winner spent several weeks working with professional legal and financial advisers. The Illinois Lottery said the winner elected to receive the prize as a lump-sum payment rather than choosing the annuity option.Amanda Crosas, manager of the Illinois Lottery Chicago Prize Centre, assisted the winner’s legal representatives with the prize claim. “After eight years of processing lottery claims, I’ve had the chance to meet many winners, but a $1 billion jackpot is truly extraordinary,” Crosas said. She added that “It was exciting to see the historic prize claimed after nearly a month of anticipation.”
How much did Illinois players spend on Powerball
The jackpot run began on May 4 and continued through the August 12 drawing. During that period, Illinois Lottery players purchased more than $53.8 million worth of Powerball tickets, generating $26 million for the Common School Fund, which supports K–12 public education throughout Illinois.Illinois Lottery retailers earned $2.5 million in commissions and bonuses from the jackpot run, while players purchased more than 965,000 winning Powerball tickets and collected nearly $8 million in prizes, excluding the jackpot. The retailer that sold the winning ticket, Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh, received a $500,000 retailer bonus. The winner had 12 months from the drawing date to claim the prize and 60 days from the drawing date to elect the lump-sum payment option. Under Illinois law, lottery winners receiving prizes of $250,000 or more may request to remain anonymous.
