A Powerball jackpot-winning ticket worth $1.33 billion was sold in Oregon after a noticeable delay in the drawing that lasted more than three hours due to pre-draw procedures. The winning numbers were 22, 27, 44, 52, 69 and the red Powerball 9. The lucky ticket holder has the choice between receiving the $1.33 billion prize paid over 29 years or a one-time lump sum of $621.1 million. This win was the fourth largest in the game’s history and only the sixth from Oregon to win the Powerball grand prize. The whereabouts of the winning ticket or the identity of the winner were not immediately known.
The winner of the Powerball jackpot in Oregon will have their name revealed as required by state law. They also have 60 days to claim their winnings. The delay in announcing the results of the massive win was due to a participating lottery needing additional time to complete required pre-draw procedures to protect the security and integrity of the Powerball game. The drawing took place around 2:30 am on Sunday morning instead of the typical 11 pm, sparking outrage on social media with some players speculating that the lottery was cheating. This is not the first time the Powerball drawing has been delayed before announcing a billion-dollar winner, as seen in November 2022.
The odds of winning the Powerball grand prize are astronomical at 1 in 292,201,338. The last time the Powerball jackpot was won was on Jan. 1 at a Michigan supermarket, ending a streak of 40 consecutive drawings without a winner. The lucky winner in Michigan won the $842 million grand prize by matching all six numbers. The winning ticket was purchased at the Food Castle grocery store in Grand Blanc, Michigan. This win was the largest on New Year’s Day in Powerball history and the eighth largest jackpot in history at that time.
In another instance of a delayed drawing resulting in a billion-dollar winner, Edwin Castro won $2.04 billion in the Powerball drawing in November 2022 after waiting 10 hours for the results. The delay was due to the required pre-draw procedures aimed at protecting the security of the Powerball game. Each ticket sold nationwide must be checked and verified against two different computer systems before the numbers are drawn. Castro’s win made him the largest winner in Powerball history. Despite delays in the drawings, Powerball continues to attract players with the chance to win life-changing amounts of money.
