Powerball player wins $1 billion from $2 ticket with historic jackpot prize

A Powerball player has come forward to claim a prize worth over $1 billion, bought with a $2 ticket.

​The sole winner of the huge jackpot will take home the eighth-largest prize in Powerball history, officials at the Illinois Lottery confirmed on September 15 - a month after the draw on August 12.

​The winner, who has chosen to remain anonymous, revealed that they experienced everything from disbelief to shock after finding out that they had won $1.04 billion.

​“I initially didn’t believe I had won, so I called a family member to confirm it,” the winner said. “Even after claiming the prize, I’m still processing the news and experiencing the full range of emotions that come with winning a billion-dollar jackpot — from disbelief and shock to overwhelming elation.”

​The as-yet unnamed winner also opened up about buying their ticket for just $2.

​“I chose a Quick Pick and spent just $2 on a single line of Powerball numbers,” they said. “I never could have imagined that a $2 purchase would lead to a $1.04 billion jackpot.”

​The winner added, “This is truly a blessing, and I’m incredibly grateful for this unexpected and extraordinary opportunity.”

​The Illinois Lottery confirmed that the winner took the prize as a smaller lump-sum payment, instead of the full amount, which is paid over a number of years.

​The lump-sum is valued at around $450.5 million, but that amount is subject to an automatic federal withholding of 24 percent. According to Forbes, the winner could also face a federal marginal rate along with a 4.95 percent tax imposed by the state of Illinois.

​The ticket was purchased ahead of the August 12 drawing at the Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh convenience store in Quincy, Illinois. Hy-Vee Fast & Fresh received a $500,000 retailer bonus for selling the ticket.

​The numbers chosen by the anonymous winner were 4, 26, 66, 67 and 69. The red Powerball number was 9.

The odds of winning the Powerball grand prize are 1 in 292,201,338.00, according to the brand’s website.​