A POWERBALL player in a US state who matched five numbers will end up taking home more than other gamblers who achieved the same feat thanks to a local law.
Lotto chiefs revealed the gambler, of California, came up trumps on Wednesday night.
GettyA Powerball player who just missed out on the jackpot will take home more than their rival winners thanks to a local law[/caption]They just missed out on the jackpot, which stood at $483 million, but will end up taking home more than $5 million before tax.
Players in the District of Columbia and New York also matched five numbers, but will take home $1 million instead.
Gamblers must defy odds of one in 11 million to match five numbers in the lottery.
In California, prizes can be adjusted depending on the number of winners and tickets sold.
For instance, Sara Bailey matched five numbers on the Mega Millions in 2022.
The official prize pot for the feat was $1 million, but she ended up taking home $4.2 million before tax.
She told The CW affiliate KTLA that she screamed when she thought she had become a millionaire, but then started researching.
It was then that she realized it was likely her prize would be greater than $1 million.
Americans rushed to buy tickets as the jackpot for that particular draw was more than $1.3 billion.
Winners who scoop more than $5,000 must pay 24% in tax to the federal government.
But, in California, players do not pay tax to the state.
No player won the Powerball jackpot on Wednesday night, which means the prize pot now stands at $515 million.
It has an estimated cash value of $242.7 million.
The next Powerball draw takes place on Saturday night.
Lottery winnings: lump sum or annuity?
Players who win big on lottery tickets typically have a choice to make: lump sum or annuity?
The two payout methods can impact how much money you get from your prize.
Annuities pay out slowly in increments, often over 30 years.
Lump sums pay all at once but in a smaller amount, as taxes are withheld in one go. That means 24% of your prize goes to Uncle Sam right away. Many states tax winnings as well.
Annuities can provide winners time to set up the financial infrastructure required to take in a life-changing amount of money, but lump sums have the benefit of being taxed only once.
Inflation is also worth considering when making a choice, as payouts do not adjust with the value of a dollar. That means that you’ll likely be getting less valuable money towards the end of an annuity.
Each state and game pays out prizes differently, so it’s best to check with your state’s lottery to confirm payment policies. A financial advisor can also help you weigh the pros and cons of each option.
Experts have varying opinions on whether to take the lump sum or take the annuity.
There has only been one Powerball jackpot winner so far in 2025.
This feat was achieved by Oregon resident Abbas Shafii who won $328.5 million.
He walked away with $146.4 million after deciding to receive his prize as a lump sum.
Otherwise, the prize pot would’ve been paid out over 30 years.
The U.S. Sun reported how a Mega Millions player in Illinois matched six numbers to land a $344 million prize pot.
The winner has a year to come forward to collect their windfall.
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