Michigan rang in 2024 with a big lottery winner, as a single Powerball ticket sold in Grand Blanc matched all six numbers to win the $842 million jackpot on January 1st. The winning ticket for the record 10th largest U.S. lottery jackpot was sold at a Family Owned Milk Store in Grand Blanc.
Winning Numbers and Jackpot Details
The winning Powerball numbers drawn on January 1, 2024 were:
- 18-43-48-60-69
- Powerball: 14
The holder of the winning ticket can choose between an annuity paid out over 29 years or a one-time lump sum payment of $497.3 million. Both prize options are before taxes.
This was the first time ever the Powerball jackpot has been won on New Year’s Day. The jackpot started at $20 million for the December 4 drawing and over the next four weeks, it rolled 38 times before it was finally won.
Reaction From the Store That Sold the Ticket
The winning ticket was sold at the Family Owned Milk Store located at 6085 S. Dort Hwy in Grand Blanc. The family that owns the small grocery store said they are thrilled that one of their customers is the big winner.
Store co-owner Kalpesh Patel said, “We have been running this store with my family for over 15 years. Selling a huge jackpot winning ticket is a great way to start 2024. The whole family is very happy for the winner.”
This is the first time the store has ever sold a jackpot winning ticket. In 2019, they did sell a $1 million Powerball winner. Store owners plan to put up signs announcing they sold the winning $842 million ticket.
Two $2 Million Winning Tickets Sold in Florida
In addition to the jackpot winner, two tickets sold in Florida matched all five white balls to win $2 million each. Those winning tickets which just missed the Powerball number were sold at:
- Publix at St. Lucie West in Port St. Lucie
- Publix at Cypress Lake Drive in Fort Myers
Winners have the option to receive their $2 million prizes as annuities paid out over 29 years or as lump sums of $1.24 million.
Lead Up to the Record Jackpot
The Powerball jackpot had been rolling since it was last won on November 19, 2022 at $93 million. In the seven weeks since, there were 38 consecutive drawings without a grand prize winner. This allowed the estimated jackpot for the January 1 drawing to swell to $856 million, the 10th largest in U.S. lottery history.
Sales of Powerball tickets see a significant boost whenever the jackpot grows to mega millions levels. Lottery officials estimated that if one winner matched all six numbers on New Year’s Day, the cash value would be $497.3 million.
Huge Ticket Sales as Drawing Approached
As the New Year’s Day drawing neared, long lines were spotted at lottery retailers around the country from players hoping to start 2024 as a multi-millionaire. With a jackpot of over $800 million, lottery officials expected 200 million Powerball tickets would be sold for the January 1 drawing.
Some key Powerball sales metrics in various states as the January 1st drawing approached:
| State | Tickets Per Minute in Days Before Drawing |
|---|---|
| Indiana | 819 |
| Minnesota | 723 |
| New Jersey | 682 |
| North Carolina | 628 |
Approximately 5.4 million winning tickets across nine prize tiers were expected from the January 1 drawing. Statistically, players had a 1 in 292.2 million chance to win the jackpot.
Where the Jackpot Ranks Historically
The official jackpot amount of $842 million ranks as the 10th largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history. Here is a table with the top 10 Powerball and MegaMillions jackpots:
| Rank | Amount | Game | Date Won |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $1.586 Billion | Powerball | 1/13/2016 |
| 2 | $1.537 Billion | Mega Millions | 10/23/2018 |
| 3 | $1.337 Billion | Mega Millions | 7/29/2022 |
| 4 | $1.05 Billion | MegaMillions | 1/22/2021 |
| 5 | $768.4 Million | Powerball | 3/27/2019 |
| 6 | $758.7 Million | Powerball | 8/23/2017 |
| 7 | $731.1 Million | Powerball | 1/20/2021 |
| 8 | $699.8 Million | Powerball | 10/4/2021 |
| 9 | $687.8 Million | Powerball | 10/27/2018 |
| 10 | $842 Million | Powerball | 1/1/2024 |
What’s Next and When to Claim Prize
The Grand Blanc winner should sign the back of their winning Powerball ticket immediately and keep it somewhere very safe. The ticket holder has 1 year from the drawing date to claim their $842 million prize.
The winner will need to contact the Michigan Lottery headquarters in Lansing to begin the claims process. After announcing they have won and presenting their signed ticket, the winner can choose between receiving the full jackpot amount through an annuity or taking a one-time cash payout.
There is also an option for the winner to remain anonymous under Michigan law if they set up a trust first to claim the money on their behalf.
Whoever holds the winning Michigan ticket likely came forward in the first 1-2 weeks of January. After that, the focus will shift to the next Powerball drawing on January 4 with an estimated jackpot reset to $20 million.
This record New Year’s jackpot caused many non-regular lottery players to test their luck with Powerball tickets. Even though the jackpot excitement has passed, lottery officials expect continued higher sales and participation moving forward. There is also optimism that additional jackpot runs may occur during 2024 to keep player interest high.
To err is human, but AI does it too. Whilst factual data is used in the production of these articles, the content is written entirely by AI. Double check any facts you intend to rely on with another source.
