Lottery Officials: 3 Powerball Jackpot Winning Tickets Sold, Including 2 In N.J.
Updated at 1:05 a.m., Aug. 8, 2013
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Three lucky souls will be splitting the Powerball jackpot, which hit an estimated $448.4 million Wednesday.
The winning numbers drawn Wednesday evening were 5, 25, 30, 58, 59, and Powerball 32. Lottery officials then told CBS 2 early Thursday morning that three winning tickets matched all six numbers, and that two of the tickets were sold in New Jersey. The other was sold in Minnesota.
The jackpot for the drawing would've fetched a single winner a lump-sum payment after taxes of more than $244 million, lottery officials said.
The world's highest lottery jackpot was a $656 million Mega Millions jackpot sold in March 2012.
Powerball tickets doubled in price to $2 in January 2012 as part of a plan to help jackpots grow bigger, faster. And when the jackpots reach astronomical levels, ticket sales take off, with jackpots following close behind.
The odds of matching all six Powerball numbers are just 1 in 175.2 million. officials said.
Many of those lining up to buy tickets Wednesday morning said they knew the odds were against them, but they just couldn't pass up a chance to become a multi-millionaire in a matter of minutes.
Wednesday's $425M Powerball Jackpot In Top Five Prizes Of All Time
"I'd sure like to win it," one man said. "I'd share it with the family and some friends."
"If I win, I think the first person I'd spend it on is my mother," said another. "Gently, so she doesn't have a heart attack."
"A quarter to charity, a quarter to family, a quarter in long-term investments and the last quarter the kind of stuff people do when you win the lottery -- sports cars, motorcycles," said another lottery hopeful.
In Passaic, N.J., on Monday, crowds were aflutter at Eagle Liquors the very store where Pedro Quezada won the $338 million Powerball drawing in March.
"Ten dollars today, I have more today," said customer Santo Nino told 1010 WINS' Steve Sandberg, adding that he thought he would win.
Clerk Pravin Mankodia sold Quezada the winning ticket in March, and was hopeful that lightning might strike twice at the store.
"Everybody's thinking it's two times," he said.
But Santana said he did not want to win.
"Too much money, you know, I don't need that kind of money," he told Sandberg. "I'll give you something. I'll take care of you. I'll give you a trip to Punta Cana."
Wednesday's $425M Powerball Jackpot In Top Five Prizes Of All Time
Half of the $2 cost of a Powerball ticket goes toward the prizes, the rest to the state lottery organization. Powerball is played in 43 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Each state that participates in the game decides how to use the money. Some states earmark the money for a specific purpose, such as education, while others use it in their general funds.
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