Winning tickets for $579.9 million jackpot purchased in Arizona and Missouri

The Associated Press

DES MOINES, Iowa - Powerball officials say the record jackpot has been won.

Early this morning officials confirmed that two winning tickets were sold: One in Arizona and one in Missouri. An additional 8,924,123 players won smaller prizes.

The numbers drawn Wednesday night are: 5, 16, 22, 23, 29 and Powerball of 6.

A lottery official said the jackpot increased to $579.9 million by the time of the drawing, making the cash option $379.8 million.

The drawing for the Multi-State Lottery Association's prize followed 16 consecutive drawings that produced no top winner, boosting the Powerball to the second-largest potential lottery payout in U.S. history.

Tickets earlier Wednesday were selling at a rate of 130,000 a minute nationwide, the jackpot enticing many people who rarely, if ever, play the lottery.