A Powerball ticket sold at a local convenience store matched all five white balls in Saturday night’s drawing, landing its owner just under $2 million while the national jackpot rolled on to an eye-popping estimated $1.1 billion. The winner’s identity has not been released, and state officials say they will need to go through the California Lottery’s formal claiming process before any confetti starts flying, as reported by the Associated Press.
According to the official draw results, the winning numbers were 1, 28, 31, 57 and 58, with Powerball 16. One California ticket matched the five white balls for a prize of $1,975,554, which was the top non-jackpot payout in the state for that drawing, according to the California Lottery. Lottery officials did not immediately identify who bought the lucky ticket.
Jackpot rolls on to an estimated $1.1 billion
No one hit all six numbers in Saturday’s draw, so the Powerball jackpot climbed to an estimated $1.1 billion for the next game, according to the Associated Press. The Power Play multiplier was 2x, and while the billion-dollar prize stayed on the board, several players across the country still walked away with six-figure wins.
How California's prizes broke down
Certified results from the draw show that four additional California tickets matched four numbers plus the Powerball, each worth about $57,024. Altogether, the drawing produced 412,208 winning tickets across the state at various prize levels. Winners of non-jackpot Powerball prizes typically have 180 days from the draw date to claim their money, and any unclaimed prize funds are directed to support public education, according to the California Lottery.
Where the ticket was sold
The nearly $2 million ticket was sold at Lichine's Liquor & Deli at 7107 S. Land Park Drive in Sacramento. The South Land Park shop is no stranger to lottery luck and has a track record of producing big winners in past years, local station KCRA reported.
What winners should do now
Think that golden ticket might be sitting in your wallet or on your fridge? First step, the Lottery says, is to sign the back of the ticket and keep it somewhere safe. Then contact the California Lottery or visit a district office to start the claim process. Smaller winnings can usually be cashed at retail locations, while bigger prizes like this one require a formal claim. Either way, players are urged not to wait too long, since the clock on that 180-day deadline is already ticking.
