$768.4 million Powerball lottery jackpot won by single ticket sold in Wisconsin

Mar 28, 2019, 8:03 am (55 comments)

Powerball

By Todd Northrop

One Powerball lottery ticket sold in Wisconsin won the third-largest lottery prize in U.S. history on Wednesday night.

The lucky numbers for the $768.4 million jackpot were 16, 20, 37, 44, and 62, with Powerball number 12. The Power Play multiplier was 3. The top prize surged from an estimated $750 million due to strong ticket sales.

The lump sum payout is $476.9 million.

The winning ticket was sold in New Berlin, a city of about 40,000 people roughly 14 miles (22.5 kilometers) southwest of Milwaukee. Lottery officials didn't immediately identify the retailer that sold the ticket for Wednesday night's drawing. The retailer will receive a $100,000 payout for selling the winning ticket.

"It's going to be a very green spring for our first Powerball jackpot winner of 2019," David Barden, Powerball Product Group chairman and New Mexico Lottery CEO, said in a statement. "A jackpot of this size can make many dreams come true — not just for the winner, but for all Lottery beneficiaries and the lucky state of Wisconsin."

The Powerball jackpot had grown since December, when a ticket sold in New York won a $298.3 million jackpot. The jackpot resets to $40 million for Saturday's drawing.

The odds of hitting Wednesday's grand prize — the largest lottery jackpot of 2019 — was 1 in about 292 million.  But Powerball says 1 in every 24.87 tickets wins a prize, starting at $4.

The only jackpots larger than Wednesday's include the world record $1.586 billion Powerball jackpot in January 2016 shared by winners in California, Florida, and Tennessee.

A woman from South Carolina anonymously claimed the second biggest prize of a $1.537 billion Mega Millions jackpot won last October. And in August 2017, a Massachusetts hospital worker's pipe dream came true when she won a $758.7 million Powerball prize

In the Wednesday Powerball drawing, 9 lucky players came within one number of winning the jackpot, matching the first 5 numbers for a $1,000,000 prize: 1 from Arizona, 2 from California, 1 from Indiana, 1 from Kansas, 1 from Minnesota, 1 from Missouri, 1 from New Jersey, and 1 from New York.

Two of the second-prize winners — the tickets sold in Kansas and Minnesota — purchased the Power Play option for an extra $1 per play, doubling their prize to $2 million.

The two California winners will take home an extra-sweet $2,939,782 each, as the California second-level prize pool has been building for 11 consecutive drawings without a winner. By law, California awards all prizes on a pari-mutuel basis, meaning the prizes will change each drawing based on the number of tickets sold and the number of tickets that won at each prize level. If nobody wins the money allocated for a prize level, that money is carried over to the next drawing.

Also in the Wednesday drawing, 150 tickets matched four white numbers plus the Powerball and won $50,000.  Of those tickets, 20 were purchased with the Power Play option, increasing the prize to $150,000, and 13 of the tickets were sold in California, where the prize was worth $28,597 this drawing.

When a Powerball ticket is purchased with the Power Play option for an extra $1 per ticket, a second-prize win is doubled and any other non-jackpot prize is multplied by the Power Play number drawn that evening. A full chart of payout amounts can be found on the Powerball Drawing Detail page at USA Mega, as well as on the Powerball Prize Payouts page at Lottery Post.

Power Play is not available in California, because the fixed nature of the prize increase offered in Power Play is not compatible with California's pari-mutuel payouts.

The next Powerball drawing will take place Saturday night at 10:59 pm Eastern Time.

Powerball is played in 44 states, plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.  Drawings are Wednesdays and Saturdays at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time.  Tickets cost $2 each.

Powerball lottery results are published within minutes of the drawing at USA Mega (www.usamega.com).  The USA Mega Web site provides lottery players in-depth information about the United States's two biggest multi-state lottery games, Mega Millions and Powerball.

Top 25 United States lottery jackpots of all time

Wednesday's Powerball jackpot was the 3rd-largest lottery jackpot of all time in the United States, and the 2nd-largest Powerball jackpot ever.

  1. Powerball: $1.5864 billion, Jan. 13, 2016 - California, Florida, Tennessee
  2. Mega Millions: $1.537 billion, Oct. 23, 2018 - South Carolina
  3. Powerball: $768.4 million, Mar. 27, 2019 - Wisconsin
  4. Powerball: $758.7 million, Aug. 23, 2017 - Massachusetts
  5. Powerball: $687.8 million, Oct. 27, 2018 - Iowa, New York
  6. Mega Millions: $656 million, Mar. 30, 2012 - Illinois, Kansas, Maryland
  7. Mega Millions: $636 million, Dec. 17, 2013 - California, Georgia
  8. Powerball: $590.5 million, May 18, 2013 - Florida
  9. Powerball: $587.5 million, Nov. 28, 2012 - Arizona, Missouri
  10. Powerball: $564.1 million, Feb. 11, 2015 - North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Texas
  11. Powerball: $559.7 million, Jan. 6, 2018 - New Hampshire
  12. Mega Millions: $543 million, Jul. 24, 2018 - California
  13. Mega Millions: $536 million, Jul. 8, 2016 - Indiana
  14. Mega Millions: $533 million, Mar. 30, 2018 - New Jersey
  15. Powerball: $487 million, Jul. 30, 2016 - New Hampshire
  16. Powerball: $456.7 million, Mar. 17, 2018 - Pennsylvania
  17. Mega Millions: $451 million, Jan. 5, 2018 - Florida
  18. Powerball: $448.4 million, Aug. 7, 2013 - Minnesota, New Jersey (2)
  19. Powerball: $447.8 million, Jun. 10, 2017 - California
  20. Powerball: $435.3 million, Feb. 22, 2017 - Indiana
  21. Powerball: $429.6 million, May 7, 2016 - New Jersey
  22. Powerball: $425.3 million, Feb. 19, 2014 - California
  23. Mega Millions: $425 million, Jan. 1, 2019 - New York
  24. Powerball: $420.9 million, Nov. 26, 2016 - Tennessee
  25. Mega Millions: $414 million, Mar. 18, 2014 - Florida, Maryland

The number of jackpots in the top 25, by lottery game, are:

  • Powerball: 16
  • Mega Millions: 9

Top 25 cash value jackpots

The Wednesday Powerball jackpot ranks as the 4th-largest cash value in U.S. history.

  1. Powerball: $983.5 million cash, Jan. 13, 2016 ($1.5864 billion annuity) - California, Florida, Tennessee
  2. Mega Millions: $877.8 million cash, Oct. 23, 2018 ($1.537 billion annuity) - South Carolina
  3. Powerball: $480.5 million cash, Aug. 23, 2017 ($758.7 million annuity) - Massachusetts
  4. Powerball: $476.9 million cash, Mar. 27, 2019 ($768.4 million annuity) - Wisconsin
  5. Mega Millions: $471 million cash, Mar. 30, 2012 ($656 million annuity) - Illinois, Kansas, Maryland
  6. Powerball: $396.2 million cash, Oct. 27, 2018 ($687.8 million annuity) - Iowa, New York
  7. Powerball: $384.7 million cash, Nov. 28, 2012 ($587.5 million annuity) - Arizona, Missouri
  8. Powerball: $381.1 million cash, Feb. 11, 2015 ($564.1 million annuity) - North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Texas
  9. Mega Millions: $378 million cash, Jul. 8, 2016 ($536 million annuity) - Indiana
  10. Powerball: $370.9 million cash, May 18, 2013 ($590.5 million annuity) - Florida
  11. Powerball: $352 million cash, Jan. 6, 2018 ($559.7 million annuity) - New Hampshire
  12. Mega Millions: $347.6 million cash, Dec. 17, 2013 ($636 million annuity) - California, Georgia
  13. Powerball: $336.8 million cash, Jul. 30, 2016 ($487 million annuity) - New Hampshire
  14. Mega Millions: $324 million cash, Mar. 30, 2018 ($533 million annuity) - New Jersey
  15. Mega Millions: $320.5 million cash, Jul. 24, 2018 ($543 million annuity) - California
  16. Powerball: $284 million cash, May 7, 2016 ($429.6 million annuity) - New Jersey
  17. Mega Millions: $281.9 million cash, Jan. 5, 2018 ($451 million annuity) - Florida
  18. Powerball: $279.1 million cash, Jun. 10, 2017 ($447.8 million annuity) - California
  19. Powerball: $273.9 million cash, Mar. 17, 2018 ($456.7 million annuity) - Pennsylvania
  20. Powerball: $263.5 million cash, Feb. 22, 2017 ($435.3 million annuity) - Indiana
  21. Powerball: $258.2 million cash, Aug. 7, 2013 ($448.4 million annuity) - Minnesota, New Jersey (2)
  22. Powerball: $254.7 million cash, Nov. 26, 2016 ($420.9 million annuity) - Tennessee
  23. Mega Millions: $254.6 million cash, Jan. 1, 2019 ($425 million annuity) - New York
  24. Mega Millions: $246.5 million cash, Aug. 11, 2017 ($393 million annuity) - Illinois
  25. Mega Millions: $240 million cash, Jan. 4, 2011 ($380 million annuity) - Idaho, Washington

The number of jackpot cash values in the top 25, by lottery game, are:

  • Powerball: 15
  • Mega Millions: 10

Lottery Post Staff

Comments

Raven62's avatarRaven62

Party Best Wishes to the Winner(s)! Party

Bleudog101

WTG New Berlin, WI

California did better than Powerplay winners this time around!

 

Just found two regular purchased tickets with #12 on them, each one worth $12 added to my big loss of $36 on-line so up to $60 in winnings.  Better than nothing I suppose.

CDanaT's avatarCDanaT

What a fantastic win for some lucky person/group. 

Here's to much enjoyment for many years to come  Cheers

TheMeatman2005's avatarTheMeatman2005

Congrats to the winner(s).

There's always next time!

TheMeatman2005's avatarTheMeatman2005

The State of Wisconsin will collect its 7.65% state tax of $36,482,850 if the winner(s) take the lump sum cash value.

The IRS will collect up to 37%. That comes to $176,453,000

After taxes, the ticket holder will keep about $264 mil

Raven62's avatarRaven62

The New Berlin, Wisconsin PowerBall Winner of $768.4 million won't be able to Remain Anonymous!

wander73's avatarwander73

Isn't it funny that the draw numbers are out within 5 minutes after being drawn on mobile devices.

rcbbuckeye's avatarrcbbuckeye

They were posted on USA Mega by 10:05 last night.

CDanaT's avatarCDanaT

First time that Wisconsin has cracked the top 25 list..... Thumbs Up Kudos to them

EnReval

Those small unknown cities really win!

Todd's avatarTodd

Quote: Originally posted by rcbbuckeye on Mar 28, 2019

They were posted on USA Mega by 10:05 last night.

Actually, I posted the results live at 10:59 PM (Eastern Time) last night — both at USA Mega and at Lottery Post!

dpoly1's avatardpoly1

Doesn't Wisconsin always win?

Thud

golfer1960's avatargolfer1960

Quote: Originally posted by dpoly1 on Mar 28, 2019

Doesn't Wisconsin always win?

Thud

Everyone wins except for me dpoly!!!! 

baby crying

TheMeatman2005's avatarTheMeatman2005

Quote: Originally posted by golfer1960 on Mar 28, 2019

Everyone wins except for me dpoly!!!! 

baby crying

LOL Green laugh

konane's avatarkonane

Congratulations to the lucky winner! Party I hope it was a Lottery Post member. Big Grin

noise-gate

Quote: Originally posted by TheMeatman2005 on Mar 28, 2019

The State of Wisconsin will collect its 7.65% state tax of $36,482,850 if the winner(s) take the lump sum cash value.

The IRS will collect up to 37%. That comes to $176,453,000

After taxes, the ticket holder will keep about $264 mil

That's not a bad amount to " keep" after paying all your taxes TMM, even if you waged $100.00. That PB was one sweet ride.

Bleudog101

Am glad that it went over the advertised amount of $750 million; sometimes it doesn't quite get to the amount they say.

Time to go to the store and cash out my $24...

wander73's avatarwander73

Quote: Originally posted by Todd on Mar 28, 2019

Actually, I posted the results live at 10:59 PM (Eastern Time) last night — both at USA Mega and at Lottery Post!

That is unusual.  Sometimes everyone has to wait 15-20 minutes.

konane's avatarkonane

Quote: Originally posted by wander73 on Mar 28, 2019

That is unusual.  Sometimes everyone has to wait 15-20 minutes.

Sounds like Todd meant he manually input ball drop results on both. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

Horsegeek40

Congratulations to the winner(s)! The small towns strike again!!!Dance

mikeintexas's avatarmikeintexas

Quote: Originally posted by dpoly1 on Mar 28, 2019

Doesn't Wisconsin always win?

Thud

According to this recent article from nj.com, that was the 17th PB win in Wisconsin.

maximumfun's avatarmaximumfun

Good fortune to the winners!

NYL1

How many MM and PB Jackpot winners since the start of both games any one know ?

dpoly1's avatardpoly1

Quote: Originally posted by golfer1960 on Mar 28, 2019

Everyone wins except for me dpoly!!!! 

baby crying

It's called a bit of sarcasm because of the usual whine about the same states winning .........

I was perfectly happy with my $7 last drawing!

dpoly1's avatardpoly1

Quote: Originally posted by mikeintexas on Mar 28, 2019

According to this recent article from nj.com, that was the 17th PB win in Wisconsin.

Thanks for the info!

mikeintexas's avatarmikeintexas

Quote: Originally posted by dpoly1 on Mar 28, 2019

Thanks for the info!

Smile Y/W

gy65

Jackpot winning ticket was sold at the Speedway on Beloit Road in New Berlin.

LottoLucy's avatarLottoLucy

Sully was right.  A Great Lakes state!

I hope the winner/winners are very happy with their new found wealth.

gy65

Wisconsin Lottery news conference.

Todd's avatarTodd

Quote: Originally posted by wander73 on Mar 28, 2019

That is unusual.  Sometimes everyone has to wait 15-20 minutes.

Why exactly would I wait before publishing the results?  That would be rather strange.

noise-gate

Quote: Originally posted by LottoLucy on Mar 28, 2019

Sully was right.  A Great Lakes state!

I hope the winner/winners are very happy with their new found wealth.

.. and close to a large body of H2...0 Approve

Did l tell ya, or did l tell ya?

Artist77's avatarArtist77

Quote: Originally posted by LottoLucy on Mar 28, 2019

Sully was right.  A Great Lakes state!

I hope the winner/winners are very happy with their new found wealth.

Great job Sully!!

music*'s avatarmusic*

The winner/s have 180 days to claim. Should the winner/s get their ducks all lined up before claiming? Can they remain in hiding until claiming? Congratulations to whoever won!!Party

Stack47

Quote: Originally posted by noise-gate on Mar 28, 2019

.. and close to a large body of H2...0 Approve

Did l tell ya, or did l tell ya?

When I lived in Ohio I'd have no problem agreeing that a Great Lake state would win the PB jackpot as would anyone living in any of the 8 great lake states that includes New York. Are the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers considered "a large body of water"?

noise-gate

Quote: Originally posted by Stack47 on Mar 28, 2019

When I lived in Ohio I'd have no problem agreeing that a Great Lake state would win the PB jackpot as would anyone living in any of the 8 great lake states that includes New York. Are the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers considered "a large body of water"?

If you have to squint to see the other side, probably. We not talking Olympic size swimming pools.

Cassie8620's avatarCassie8620

Quote: Originally posted by noise-gate on Mar 28, 2019

If you have to squint to see the other side, probably. We not talking Olympic size swimming pools.

welp, looks like pops is right again. or as he put it, "LOLCassie don't play PB Mega it's rigged, if only 1 single person winALL that money.

 

Gov't is makin' a killin' back easy, by 1 single personYes Nod winning, make no sense, so don't play it cassie. lol i think he's right, but i did buy 2 tickets

and 1 or 2 for mom. just odd 1 person when 100 + in MANY STATES can win at least FOUR #s with pb or mega ball, and or five numbers and still

IRS/GOV shall have PLENTY left over,Smiley

so i think dad has a point.

 

 

i do not play always this game,but good luck to those playing it, i only do it when it is a real high amount. G-night. 

Congrats to the ONE winner.

golfer1960's avatargolfer1960

"No, no no! It was NJ not WI, right?"

TheMeatman2005's avatarTheMeatman2005

Hang in there people.

So...  you didn't win this one. There will be other billion dollar jackpots!

Groppo's avatarGroppo

Quote: Originally posted by TheMeatman2005 on Mar 29, 2019

Hang in there people.

So...  you didn't win this one. There will be other billion dollar jackpots!

.

TheMeatman2005,
I sure hope so, I'm not getting any younger.
Just one million would do it for me (realizing that taxes woud be taken out).

This drawing could have had 700+  one-million dollar winners.
So, 700+ people might have bought a decent house, and car.

Mr. Groppo

viceroy2's avatarviceroy2

So.... Here's what I want to know....

Can the winner in WI claim through a Trust or LLC...meaning: the Name of the Trust or LLC is put on the Back of the Ticket?

I live in a non-anon state, and I am concerned about that particular rule, when it comes to claiming. 

If their Identity is spread out by the Lottery (as per the rules they put down to insure that "Real People REALLY DO WIN") 
then, that winner is basically a target by all the wolves and yahoos out there.

I've harped on this before.....and I know that most folks agree with me, despite saying in reply...

"Well....they should have went to an anon state to purchase that ticket!"
or
"If they didn't want to be exposed, they better not play."
or
"what's the problem? Just grin and bear it....it'll be *alriiiiiiiiiight*"

Is the WI winner basically S-O-L when it comes to protecting their identity when claiming?

Because here's what I would do in that winner's situation

Get that Lawyer from New York (I think his name is Joshua Something, or if you can't get him, get a lawyer who will work for a flat rate, and do this.
----> Form 2 trusts, (or get two aged Shelf Trusts) where one collapes into the other. and get two Shelf Corp's
-----> Trust 1 is a receiving trust (lottery-office facing) that collects the money (minus taxes) (Trustee has to be a Shelf Corp, Beneficiary has to be the Bridge Trust)
-----> Trust 2 is the bridge trust (Receiving Trust Facing) (trustee has to be 2nd shelf corp, beneficiary has to be 1st shelf corp) 
and this bridge trust collapses into the 1st shelf corp.

But I'm not sure...Can a Beneficiary on the bridge trust, be trustee on the receiving trust?  I don't know....

But is this thinking all for naught, and the winner is SOL when it comes to protecting their identity from the public?

Maybe in WI it is.

golfer1960's avatargolfer1960

Quote: Originally posted by viceroy2 on Mar 30, 2019

So.... Here's what I want to know....

Can the winner in WI claim through a Trust or LLC...meaning: the Name of the Trust or LLC is put on the Back of the Ticket?

I live in a non-anon state, and I am concerned about that particular rule, when it comes to claiming. 

If their Identity is spread out by the Lottery (as per the rules they put down to insure that "Real People REALLY DO WIN") 
then, that winner is basically a target by all the wolves and yahoos out there.

I've harped on this before.....and I know that most folks agree with me, despite saying in reply...

"Well....they should have went to an anon state to purchase that ticket!"
or
"If they didn't want to be exposed, they better not play."
or
"what's the problem? Just grin and bear it....it'll be *alriiiiiiiiiight*"

Is the WI winner basically S-O-L when it comes to protecting their identity when claiming?

Because here's what I would do in that winner's situation

Get that Lawyer from New York (I think his name is Joshua Something, or if you can't get him, get a lawyer who will work for a flat rate, and do this.
----> Form 2 trusts, (or get two aged Shelf Trusts) where one collapes into the other. and get two Shelf Corp's
-----> Trust 1 is a receiving trust (lottery-office facing) that collects the money (minus taxes) (Trustee has to be a Shelf Corp, Beneficiary has to be the Bridge Trust)
-----> Trust 2 is the bridge trust (Receiving Trust Facing) (trustee has to be 2nd shelf corp, beneficiary has to be 1st shelf corp) 
and this bridge trust collapses into the 1st shelf corp.

But I'm not sure...Can a Beneficiary on the bridge trust, be trustee on the receiving trust?  I don't know....

But is this thinking all for naught, and the winner is SOL when it comes to protecting their identity from the public?

Maybe in WI it is.

Artist77's avatarArtist77

Quote: Originally posted by viceroy2 on Mar 30, 2019

So.... Here's what I want to know....

Can the winner in WI claim through a Trust or LLC...meaning: the Name of the Trust or LLC is put on the Back of the Ticket?

I live in a non-anon state, and I am concerned about that particular rule, when it comes to claiming. 

If their Identity is spread out by the Lottery (as per the rules they put down to insure that "Real People REALLY DO WIN") 
then, that winner is basically a target by all the wolves and yahoos out there.

I've harped on this before.....and I know that most folks agree with me, despite saying in reply...

"Well....they should have went to an anon state to purchase that ticket!"
or
"If they didn't want to be exposed, they better not play."
or
"what's the problem? Just grin and bear it....it'll be *alriiiiiiiiiight*"

Is the WI winner basically S-O-L when it comes to protecting their identity when claiming?

Because here's what I would do in that winner's situation

Get that Lawyer from New York (I think his name is Joshua Something, or if you can't get him, get a lawyer who will work for a flat rate, and do this.
----> Form 2 trusts, (or get two aged Shelf Trusts) where one collapes into the other. and get two Shelf Corp's
-----> Trust 1 is a receiving trust (lottery-office facing) that collects the money (minus taxes) (Trustee has to be a Shelf Corp, Beneficiary has to be the Bridge Trust)
-----> Trust 2 is the bridge trust (Receiving Trust Facing) (trustee has to be 2nd shelf corp, beneficiary has to be 1st shelf corp) 
and this bridge trust collapses into the 1st shelf corp.

But I'm not sure...Can a Beneficiary on the bridge trust, be trustee on the receiving trust?  I don't know....

But is this thinking all for naught, and the winner is SOL when it comes to protecting their identity from the public?

Maybe in WI it is.

I have been working on a chart for all the states.

 

Here is what I have for Wisconsin.

 

Not anonymous/cannot be claimed by other entities. "The original winning ticket must be signed by a single human being. For-profit and non-profit entities, trusts, and other non-human beings are not eligible to play or claim a prize." Source: https://wilottery.com/claimprize.aspx

 

So trusts are not a option regardless of the counsel you hire.

Soledad

Quote: Originally posted by Todd on Mar 28, 2019

Why exactly would I wait before publishing the results?  That would be rather strange.

Naw they’re in sync.

Soledad

I haven’t decided if I will play or not. Perhaps I should. Call me daffy duck it’s mine.

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