On Wednesday night, a California player clinched the $1.765-billion Powerball jackpot, putting an end to a long streak without a top prize winner. The winning numbers were 22, 24, 40, 52, 64, with the Powerball number 10.
The winning ticket was sold at Midway Market and Liquor in Frazier Park, according to the California Lottery. Phone calls to Midway Market & Liquor were left unanswered on Wednesday night. “The phone’s been ringing off the hook, people saying congratulations. Pretty crazy,” said the store’s night worker, known as Duke, in an interview with KCAL-TV.
“Someone owes me a truck,” he said, smiling. “Many customers, they come in every day for their tickets, faithfully. And a lot of them have said, ‘Oh, if I win, I’ll get you a new truck.’ So, where’s my truck? I’ll be waiting.”
He anticipated that the winner would be a local resident.
Before this massive win, there had been 35 consecutive drawings without a major winner, going all the way back to July 19 when a California player matched all six numbers and won $1.08 billion.
The jackpot is now the world’s second-largest lottery prize after rolling over for 36 consecutive drawings. This streak falls just short of the record of 41 draws set in 2021 and 2022. The final ticket sales pushed the jackpot beyond its initial estimate of $1.73 billion for Wednesday night’s drawing.
The only larger top prize was the $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot won by a California player last November.
Powerball’s challenging odds of one in 292.2 million are deliberately designed to create massive jackpots, which grow even larger when there are no winners. Recent wins have been quite rare in recent months.
Despite the odds, many were undeterred as they eagerly wagered their money on Wednesday for a slim chance at instant wealth.
Take Robert Salvato Jr., a 60-year-old electrician, for instance. He purchased 40 Powerball tickets at a hardware store in Billerica, Massachusetts.
“I would take care of my family and give my cat that extra leg she needs to make her a happy kitty,” said Salvato, who had recently tied the knot.
“I guess I could give my new wife a ring on every finger,” he chuckled.
In Nevada, where Powerball isn’t available, friends Tamara Carter and Denise Davis drove from Las Vegas to California to buy tickets. However, the line at their initial stop was so lengthy that they abandoned the wait in favor of another store.
Carter estimated, “The line was about three hours long. I waited for maybe half an hour, and it didn’t budge.”
The jackpot’s immense size is the result of a lengthy dry spell. The previous winning Powerball ticket was sold on July 19, and it was worth $1.08 billion after 39 drawings without a jackpot win.
Kevin Button, who was purchasing a ticket at the same hardware store as Salvato, acknowledged the slim chances but remained hopeful, saying, “I usually only buy them when the jackpot’s high. It’s been high quite often lately. I’ve tried quite a few times and haven’t even won a free ticket. But maybe tonight’s the night.