14 DAY TRIAL // After a drawing on Saturday, March 23, the Powerball lottery finally has a winner who will be taking home the $338 million (€259.3 million) jackpot.
The prize ranks as the fourth largest in Powerball history, thanks to last minute sales that have bumped it up from sixth place. The original count mentioned a $320 (€245.5) million jackpot, NBC News indicates.
While the name of the town where the ticket was acquired has not been disclosed yet, someone in the state of New Jersey is the lucky recipient of the prize, beating 175 million to one odds.
“Well there's a lot of states in it, so it's a one in a million shot, but everybody has a chance,” Frank Weber of Chicopee described after buying a ticket.
After Wednesday's drawing came up empty, Saturday's event had people from 42 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands on the edge of their seats as the winning numbers were being announced.
“More people are buying the tickets than when the jackpot is not as high,” Barbara Lewka, working at Country Trading Post in Chicopee, Massachusetts told WWLP.
Whoever holds the ticket featuring 17, 29, 31, 52, 53 and 31 on it stands to take home millions. If he or she chooses a lump-sum payment, they will be walking away with $211 million (€161.8 million).
“Something positive to help - I would most definitely use more than I needed to help others. [...] It's just better to love one another, and to help everybody out there. I believe it comes back at you,” said Roanna Fightei of Hardin, Montana.
“I don’t hold out hope of winning, but you can’t win unless you play, right?” adds Boston resident Bob King, who has his daughter's wedding coming up.