Several people had a million-dollar Christmas thanks to the Powerball jackpot drawing on Monday.
Winning numbers 5-12-20-24-29 and Powerball 4, with a Power Play 2x, boasted a $660.3 million prize at the time of the drawing, per WFAA. The cash option, which most players choose, was estimated at over $321.1 million.
Although there were no jackpot victors, two lucky winners from Colorado and Georgia matched all five numbers plus the Power Play, giving each a $2 million prize. Winners from California, New Hampshire, and Pennsylvania matched all five numbers, giving three people $1 million each.
Winners of the jackpot prize have the option to receive their winnings either as a lump-sum payment or an annuity that will be paid in 30 graduated payments over a period of 29 years. The payout amounts for all other prizes are fixed and paid in cash. In California, the amount of prize payouts is pari-mutuel and is determined based on the sales and the number of winners.
The next Powerball drawing will be held on December 27 and is currently estimated to yield a jackpot of $685 million. The cash value for this drawing is estimated at $344.7 million. This prize amount is $2.8 million shy of being in the top 10 highest Powerball jackpots in history.
“Since 1992, the Texas Lottery has generated more than $35.6 billion in revenue for good causes in the state of Texas, including education, veterans’ services and other important state programs,” per the Texas Lottery Commission’s 2023-2024 comprehensive business plan and 2022 annual report.
According to the annual report, money collected for the lotto is allocated with the highest percentage for prizes paid (67.5%), followed by the Foundation School Fund for Texas Education (23.8%), retailer compensation (5.3%), Lottery administration (3.1%), and 0.3% for Fund for Veterans’ Assistance and other state programs, as previously reported by The Dallas Express.
