With nine weeks since the last big winner, Powerball officials drew Wednesday for a jackpot that has now topped $250 million and is approaching the “event” status when occasional lottery players start crowding convenience stores for tickets.
The winning numbers were 66-57-2-31-24, with the red Powerball being 18.
If taken in a single massive payment, as most recent big lottery winners have chosen to do, the $261 million prize would be worth $179.7 million. Federal taxes would quickly take almost 40 percent of that amount, with state taxes a possibility on top of that.
The $2 Powerball tickets are sold in 44 states, along with the District of Columbia and some U.S. territories.
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