MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

World record lottery jackpot, one billion US dollars. The US$ 2 ticket was sold in California

The ticket was purchased at a convenience store, Joe's Service Center on West Woodbury Road in the San Gabriel Valley community of Altadena

A single ticket-holder from California has won the largest lottery jackpot in world history, a US$ 2.04 billion prize (with an estimated cash value of US$ 997.6 million), officials announced of Tuesday. The winning ticket was the only one to match all five white balls as well as the Powerball.

The ticket was purchased at a convenience store, Joe's Service Center on West Woodbury Road in the San Gabriel Valley community of Altadena, the California Lottery said. So far, it doesn't appear anyone has come forward yet, but no doubt someone will at some point. But how much will the lucky winner have to share with Uncle Sam and California state?

And beware, check the ticket, since there are also US$ 1 million and US$ 2 million prizes to be collected, and plenty of lesser yet still highly desirable prizes.

The winning numbers were 10-33-41-47-56, and the Powerball was 10.

The Powerball jackpot, already historic for its last two drawings, climbs further into the upper echelon of lotto -- well, everything -- is now back to a seemingly paltry US$ 20 million for this Wednesday's drawing.

Only two other lotto jackpots have topped the US$ 1.5 billion mark -- a US$ 1.537 billion Mega Millions with a lone winner from South Carolina in 2018 and a three-way Powerball US$ 1.586 billion jackpot split between ticket-holders in California, Florida and Tennessee.

Monday marks the 41st run in this Powerball series. It's been that long since. Tuesday’s jackpot winner can choose to receive the full prize, paid through an annuity over 29 years, or a lump sum of cash paid immediately. Winners more often opt for the lump sum, which for Tuesday’s jackpot was US$ 997.6m.

All winnings will be subject to federal taxes, reducing the payout by more than one-third, and many states also tax lottery winnings in addition.

Since the last Powerball prize on 3 August there had been 40 drawings without a winner – tying the record set last year, according to the Iowa-based Multi-State Lottery Association, which administers the Powerball.

To win the top prize, players must buy a US$ 2 ticket and match all five white balls as well as one red Powerball. The odds of doing so are 1 in 292m, which means it’s not unusual for no one to win the prize until a growing jackpot attracts an increasing number of players.

Millions of Americans bought tickets as the jackpot rose over multiple draws in the last month. Enough tickets were sold for Saturday’s un won prize of US$ 1.6bn that 62% of the 292.2m possible number combinations were covered.

The Powerball draw unveiled on Tuesday was delayed from Monday because a participating lottery had trouble processing ticket sales. Officials did not disclose which participating lottery it was, citing a policy against doing so.

Powerball is played in 45 states, as well as in Washington DC, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. According to the California Lottery, security requirements “must be met by all 48 participating lotteries before a drawing can occur””.