Powerball: Michigan Lottery announces $842M jackpot winner

The Breakfast Club will be feasting after the $842 million payday from a New Year’s Day Powerball drawing.

A representative for the three-member group in Michigan came forward on Tuesday to claim the sixth-largest jackpot in the promotion’s history.

According to a news release from the Michigan Lottery, “The Breakfast Club” members matched all six numbers drawn on Jan. 1, 2024 -- 12-21-42-44-49, and a Powerball of 1. The winning ticket was purchased at the Food Castle of Grand Blanc, in the city of Grand Blanc.

A Mid-Michigan lottery club has claimed the largest Powerball prize ever won in Michigan – an $842.4 million jackpot! ➡️ https://t.co/cmwpq9RsfF pic.twitter.com/6ZO0rQazu4
— Michigan Lottery (@MILottery) June 11, 2024

The members of the club, whose names have not been released, decided to collect their prize in a lump sum of $425 million, lottery officials said. After factoring in required federal income tax withholdings of 24% ($102 million) and 4.25% state tax (approximately $18 million), the group will split $305 million.

Attorney Mark K. Harder, who is representing the winners, said the group typically buys Powerball tickets when the jackpot rises into the hundreds of millions.

“As you can imagine, the club members have felt so many emotions since realizing their ticket was ‘the one.’ They’ve been elated and overwhelmed, thrilled, and nervous,” Harder said in a statement. “They’ve gone from shock and sleepless nights to giving careful thought as to how this once-in-a-lifetime event will transform their lives.”

For selling the winning ticket, Food Castle of Grand Blanc received a $50,000 bonus commission, lottery officials said.

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“Selling the winning Powerball ticket has been great for our business,” said Food Castle of Grand Blanc Owner, Bill Nannoshi. “We are going to donate every penny of the $50,000 to our employees and community.”

It was the highest Powerball jackpot won in Michigan. The highest jackpot in state history was a Mega Millions ticket worth $1.050 billion for the Jan. 22, 2021, drawing.

The highest jackpot in Powerball history is $2.04 billion, sold to a single winner in California on Nov. 7, 2022.

Drawings are held every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Tickets, which cost $2 per play, are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

The odds of winning the grand prize are 1 in 292.2 million, according to Powerball.com.