LOTTERY

Identity of massive $1.765 billion Powerball jackpot winners revealed in California

The California Lottery revealed who won the second-highest Powerball jackpot with a ticket sold at a local convenience store, the lottery announced in a press release.

Theodorus Struyck, one of the Powerball winners whose identity was disclosed, was a part of a group of winners who brought a ticket at Midway Market in Frazier Park, about 47 miles south of Bakersfield.

The winning ticket with the lucky numbers in an October 2023 drawing, was the 36th draw for that Powerball sequence. The jackpot was worth an estimated $1.765 billion dollars.

7 California residents:Cash in multi-million dollar lottery tickets on the same day

For three months, Powerball players we're hoping for a chance to win big as the jackpot kept growing. After where the Powerball ticket was sold was announced, Midway Market received $1 million for selling the lucky ticket.

In 2022, the largest Powerball jackpot was worth an estimated $2.04 billion dollars. That Powerball winner was also from California.

“Announcing big wins like this gives all of our players the chance to hope and dream that they could be next,” California Lottery Director Harjinder K. Shergill Chima said in the press release. “But it also gives us an opportunity to shine the spotlight on our terrific mission, which is to generate additional, supplemental funding for public education in California. ”

The California Lottery’s stated mission is to raise money for public school education within in the state. Players who purchase a $2 ticket, .80 cents of that purchase will go to the California school system, the release said.

How to play Powerball

In order to purchase a $2 Powerball ticket, you'll have to visit your local convenience store, gas station or grocery store - and in a handful of states, you can purchase tickets online.

To play, you will need to pick six numbers in total to mark on your ticket. Five numbers will be white balls ranging from numbers 1 to 69. The Powerball is red and one number which is between 1 and 26.

If you want to increase your chances of winning, you can add a “Power Play” for $1 which increases the winnings for all non-jackpot prizes. This addition can multiply winnings by 2X3X, 4X5X, or 10X.

Players can also ask a cashier for a "Quick Pick" where a cashier will give you a computer generated numbers on a printed Powerball ticket.

Drawings are held on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday nights. If there's no jackpot winner, the cash prize will increase by millions.

When is the next Powerball drawing?

The next Powerball drawing is on March 16. The estimated jackpot is worth $600 million. If there is a winner after Saturday's drawing and they choose the cash option, they could take home $285.9 million, according to the lottery.

What are the odds of winning the Powerball?

The odds of winning a Powerball jackpot are one in 292.2 million, according to the lottery.

The overall odds of winning a Powerball prize are roughly one in 24.9.

Where can you buy lottery tickets?

You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Texas, Washington D.C. and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.

Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. Must be 18+, 21+ in AZ and 19+ in NE. Not affiliated with any State Lottery. Gambling Problem? Call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY); 1-800-327-5050 (MA); 1-877-MYLIMIT (OR); 1-800-981-0023 (PR); 1-800-GAMBLER (all others). Visit jackpocket.com/tos for full terms.