$842 million Powerball ticket sold Michigan New Year's Day

A Michigan resident won an $842.4 million Powerball jackpot on New Year's Day, the fifth-largest Powerball and 10th-largest U.S. lottery jackpot.

A lucky individual in Michigan has won the massive $842.4 million Powerball jackpot on New Year's Day, marking the first time the jackpot has been won on this day since the game's inception in 1992. The winning numbers for the jackpot were 12, 21, 42, 44, 49, and the red Powerball number 1.

The jackpot exceeded its initial estimate of $810 million due to final ticket sales, making it the fifth-largest Powerball jackpot and the tenth-largest U.S. lottery jackpot ever won. The winning ticket was sold at the Food Castle convenience store in Grand Blanc Township, near Flint, Michigan. The store, a staple in the community for nearly 40 years, has brought great excitement to the local area.

The Powerball jackpot had been steadily growing since mid-October, leading up to the monumental win on New Year's Day. The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are incredibly slim, at 1 in 292.2 million.

The lucky winner of the jackpot will have the option to receive the prize as an annuity paid out over 30 years, totaling $842.4 million, or as a lump sum payment of $425.2 million, before taxes. Powerball is played in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

In addition to the massive jackpot win, there were other significant prizes awarded, including four tickets sold in California, Connecticut, Florida, and Maryland, each matching all five white balls to win $1 million. Two tickets from Florida and Texas matched all five white balls and included the Power Play option, resulting in $2 million prizes.

The excitement surrounding the Powerball jackpot win highlights the immense popularity of lottery games in the United States. Despite this, casino spending in the country continues to grow at a much faster rate than lottery spending, with Americans spending nearly four times more money on gambling at casinos than on the lottery. This trend showcases the enduring appeal of both forms of gambling and the substantial sums of money involved in these activities.