A winning $847 million Powerball ticket was sold Tuesday morning from an automated machine at a Wegmans Food Market in Montvale, New Jersey. Lottery officials are urging players to check their tickets for the winning numbers, as the jackpot remains unclaimed.
"I think I'm here to declare that New Jersey is the luckiest state in the United States," said James Carey, executive director of the New Jersey Lottery, at a press conference Thursday. The winning ticket matched all six numbers: 15, 34, 41, 53, 56, and the red Powerball 21. This marks the ninth-largest jackpot in Powerball history and the 12th time New Jersey has produced a Powerball jackpot winner.
The ticket holder, whose identity is currently unknown, has the option of the estimated $847 million jackpot paid out over 29 years or a one-time cash sum of $363.1 million. Winners have one year from the draw date to claim their prize, meaning the deadline to claim is November 4, 2027.
The Wegmans store will receive a $30,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket. Store manager Nick Tassi announced that the store plans to donate this bonus to its "Check Out Hunger" campaign, which supports local food banks.
Carey advised the potential winner to sign the back of the ticket, take photos, store it securely, and then seek professional advice. "I would call a lawyer. I would call a tax accountant; I would call a financial advisor," Carey stated. "This is an extraordinary amount of money, and you're going to need help from professionals that deal with things like this all the time."
New Jersey State Treasurer Aaron Binder noted that the New Jersey Lottery contributes over $1 billion annually to the state's pension system. He congratulated the Powerball winner on the "life-changing event."