An extraordinary stroke of festive fortune has transformed the life of one individual in the United States, after a single Powerball lottery ticket purchased on Christmas Eve scooped a staggering jackpot exceeding $1.8 billion.
The Winning Ticket and Location
The life-changing ticket was bought at a Murphy USA gas station in Cabot, a suburban community northeast of Little Rock, Arkansas, with a population of roughly 27,000. The winner successfully matched all five main numbers—04, 25, 31, 52, and 59—alongside the Powerball number, 19.
This monumental win ends a three-month period where no one had claimed the game's top prize, catapulting it to become the second-largest lottery jackpot in American history. Alejandra Barron, a spokesperson for Murphy USA, noted that their stores were exceptionally busy on December 24th with last-minute ticket buyers.
Cabot's Mayor, Ken Kincade, reported that the entire town is abuzz with speculation about the winner's identity. "It's all over Facebook, Twitter," Kincade said. "Everyone's talking about it and wants to know who it is." He added that, given the gas station's location near a major interstate, the winner could potentially be from out of town, though he naturally hopes it is a local resident.
What Happens Next for the Winner?
According to Karen Reynolds of the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery, the fortunate ticket holder has 180 days, or approximately six months, to come forward and claim their prize. Arkansas law provides a degree of privacy for major winners; those claiming prizes over $500,000 can request their identity remain confidential for up to three years before the information becomes public. This protection is reduced to just six months if the winner is an elected official or a close relative.
The windfall is subject to state individual income tax, with Arkansas's top rate standing at 3.9%. If the winner opts for the lump-sum cash payment—which is estimated at $834.9 million—they would owe the state over $32 million. Furthermore, Arkansas law permits the withholding of lottery winnings to settle overdue taxes, delinquent child support, or other outstanding judgments and liens.
The Powerball Phenomenon
This marks the first time since 2011 that a Powerball jackpot has been won on Christmas Eve. The game's odds, set at 1 in 292.2 million, were intentionally made tougher in 2015 to facilitate these record-breaking, rolling jackpots. While the top prize is elusive, lottery officials emphasise that the odds are significantly better for the game's many smaller-tier prizes.
Powerball tickets cost $2 and are available in 45 states, plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. This is the second major lottery win associated with a Murphy USA store, following an $800 million Mega Millions ticket sold at one of their Texas locations last year.
