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    Powerball Jackpot Winner Still a Mystery

    By William Browning | Yahoo! Contributor Network – Mon, Feb 13, 2012
    This story comes from the Yahoo! Contributor Network, where individuals publish their unique perspectives on some of the world’s most popular websites.
    Do you have a story to tell? Become a Yahoo! contributor

    The Los Angeles Times reports a $336.4 million Powerball jackpot has yet to be claimed despite one winner in the Saturday drawing. A supermarket in Rhode Island sold the winning ticket for $2 in Newport. The person who won the jackpot won't remain a mystery for too long. Lottery winners in Rhode Island eventually become matters of public record.

    Why hasn't the person come forward to claim the winning ticket so far? Here's a look at reasons why the person remains a mystery.

    Recent Winner

    The jackpot winner purchased the ticket at a Stop & Shop convenience store. The winning numbers were 1-10-37-52-57 with a red Powerball of 11. The odds of getting all six numbers correct are approximately 1 in 75 million.

    This was the first jackpot won since the price of Powerball tickets rose from $1 to $2 in January. No one was able to match any numbers for weeks, which is why the jackpot grew to its highest level. If the winner chooses a lump sum payout of cash, the $210 million won will be a record for the 42-state lottery.

    ABC News states the overall jackpot is the sixth-richest in U.S. history. The largest was a $390 million Mega Millions haul in March 2007. The winning numbers were chosen at random among three tickets. A $10,000 winner was also sold at the same convenience store.

    The jackpot was just $173.5 million Feb. 1. An increase in sales was the reason for the meteoric rise in the jackpot. Rhode Island will get nearly $12 million in taxes thanks to the winning ticket.

    Powerball Statistics

    The Powerball website states 19,294 winners were in Rhode Island alone with the most recent drawing. Winners have a year to come forward to claim any prizes no matter how big or small. Eleven tickets matched five numbers and won $1 million each along with the huge jackpot. In all, $28.9 million in additional money was dished out beyond the $336.4 million. There were 2,777,232 tickets sold nationwide.

    Powerball's first drawing was April 22, 1992. Tickets were sold for $1 and the jackpot odds were 1 in nearly 55 million. At that time, 16 states were part of the Multi-State Lottery Association. Powerball's multi-state reach expanded by 10 states in January 2010 when tickets were offered for sale in states that sell Mega Millions tickets, bringing the total states with Powerball to 42.

    The Multi-State Lottery Association began operation in 1987 with five states and the District of Columbia. By 1991, the lottery had grown to 16 states before Powerball was started. Powerball's offices are located in Urbandale, Iowa.

    William Browning is a research librarian.

     

    20 comments

    • Jim
      Jim  •  3 mths ago
      "Well Larry, you're a fresh-faced Journalism graduate" We don't have a story for you, so go write a story about the lotter winner."

      "But boss, they don't know who it is yet!"

      "Just put a bunch of facts about the Lottery and stuff. It'll be fine. People will read it."
      • SF
        SF 3 mths ago
        I know! I'm still trying to figure out the reasons the winner remains a mystery!
    • B
      B  •  3 mths ago
      ~~~"Why hasn't the person come forward to claim the winning ticket so far? Here's a look at reasons why the person remains a mystery. "

      We are still waiting to hear about a "reason" why- so far just a bunch of randomized statistics..... POOR WRITING/EDITING by a "Research Librarian".

      I am changing my homepage to a better source of information. Yahoo has lost my interest.
    • Bob Yates
      Bob Yates  •  Manila, Philippines  •  3 mths ago
      the European Lottery is tax free, winner takes all!
    • BrandyS
      BrandyS  •  New Bedford, Massachusetts  •  3 mths ago
      They finally came forward. It's a 24 or 25 year old kid from Dartmouth, MA along with his 3 cousins
    • WTF
      WTF  •  Meriden, Connecticut  •  3 mths ago
      Just for the record, they stated that 2,777,232 tickets were sold nation wide. That's just WINNING tickets. If you take the overall odds of 31.8 and multiply it times the winners you will get the approx number of tickets sold. It's more like 88,315,977. Multiply that times $2 per ticket on average (some tickets will cost $3 with powerplay) and you get $176,631,955. Now you can see why our odds of winning are 1:175,000,000. But hey someone has to win. Just never seems to be me.
    • David
      David  •  Saginaw, Michigan  •  3 mths ago
      I would like to see the lottery pay out lower winning amounts , but to more people. Instead of one person getting 200 million,10000 people could split that and still be happy. And instead of one person spending say 20 million back into the economy the 10000 winners would put almost all of the 200 million back into the economy. If we did this to all of the lottery games we could have 10000 people a day winning a few thousand dollars each. I mean really does anyone need 200 million dollars? I could use a few grand a year extra.
      • Chris
        Chris 3 mths ago
        I have always thought the same thing. Why help just one when you would help 20, or even 1,000. Most people I know could really use an extra $1,000. Guess that is why we don't run the lottery. I would buy more tickets if there were better odds.
    • kelly
      kelly  •  Boston, Massachusetts  •  3 mths ago
      if the winner is reading this can you buy my wife a new brain the one she has a tumor and can not be fixed..cancer sucks....p.s enjoy your win
    • Shawn
      Shawn  •  Lewiston, Idaho  •  3 mths ago
      you know....that kind of sucks..but..hey good for her...as I mutter under my breath...I believe my charity should get some of that money....what charity you asK? the charity of (my name) just because. Darn I forgot to register...oh well....it is odd and very luck for those who win once but twice is ridiculous....oh well I hope they don't blow it fast...I know one thing if I won a huge jackpot like the powerball's big one that was just one I would never play again. Maybe Vegas but not the lottery. I don't think it is fair.
      Oh well....my wife and I do well at the casino..nothing big but consistent...so maybe after so many years of playing the game we will finally win more than a frikin thirty five dollars! But i am not jealous....
    • broncosgodess
      broncosgodess  •  La Porte, Indiana  •  3 mths ago
      and... he may want to do some fact checking before he publishes. Odds of matching all 6 numbers in Powerball are more than one in 175 million, not 1 in 75 million.

      Also the winner bought $9 worth on a single ticket, not $2.

      @ the author.. don't quit your day job, unless you write this crap elsewhere, then by all means quit.
    • POLITICAL CORRECT
      POLITICAL CORRECT  •  3 mths ago
      good for them, hope they enjoy every bit . luck of the draw ! wow 300 + millon , should go a long ways .
      • mike
        mike 3 mths ago
        You would think so. People get greedy.
      • Rick
        Rick 3 mths ago
        yeah I think that kind of money might make some people age ALOT faster
    • Angela Porter
      Angela Porter  •  Jackson, Mississippi  •  3 mths ago
      I agree with the person who says this is truly a blessing from God, not luck, when it's my time to win, and I will win. I know God is the one who has given it to me. I hope they take this money and help others in need and be the controller of the money and not let the money control them.
      • Chris
        Chris 3 mths ago
        Really, from God. I buy tickets, and belive in God, but the Bible speaks against gambling and if what the lotter is, a gamble.
    • Dan Rather
      Dan Rather  •  Livingston, New Jersey  •  3 mths ago
      Better go back and do your math. Those stated odds are fyukked.
    • Rick
      Rick  •  Atlanta, Georgia  •  3 mths ago
      210 after taxes..hek I could start a cheese tree farm
    • Larry
      Larry  •  Long Beach, California  •  3 mths ago
      Why do some people try to put a guilt trip on the winners of big jackpots?."No Brains".And generally winners of big lottery jackpots get about one third after taxes.The person who won that $336.4 million jackpot will get about $100 million.
    • Michael
      Michael  •  Troutdale, Oregon  •  3 mths ago
      william browning sucks !!!!!
      reasons still.......mystery ???
    • Grounded
      Grounded  •  3 mths ago
      The new 1 percenter is probably distancing himself from the 99 percenters now that the shoe is on the other foot. I hated the rich before becoming one of the rich all the time I was playing the lottery trying to become one of the rich. Teasing liberals is so fun because they are so uptight. I bet 99 percent have IBS just from using the same energy grunt sticking up for Obama that they used to bash Bush. Not too smart. More fiber not more hate.
    • N
      N  •  Greeley, Colorado  •  3 mths ago
      And yes, I agree, have many winners split the jackpot. It will really stimulate the economy, Have hundreds of people buying new homes and cars rather than gift a single person with more money than they could ever use in a lifetime.
    • david
      david  •  3 mths ago
      If it was an "Occupy" protester that won they will have to commit suicide.
      Hope so.
    • S.
      S.  •  New York, New York  •  3 mths ago
      I hope that who ever won it ... can see it for what it is ... a blessing from God and do with it to honor Him .
      • Jim
        Jim 3 mths ago
        Someone commented yesterday that he would give 20 percent to God. But he'd only give it to him in person.
    • N
      N  •  Greeley, Colorado  •  3 mths ago
      Lottery is rigged, Theres always a eventual winner. Cause the true odds are impossible to win
     Post a comment
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