A punter in Hurricane, West Virginia has scooped $314.9 million US dollars in the biggest single lottery win in US history.
The jackpot had been building up since October 31 and US reports indicate the single winning ticket was sold in the town of Hurricane - population 4,500.
After a hectic Christmas Day in which thousands of last minute players bought numbers, the draw in West Des Moines, Iowa on Wednesday came up with the winning numbers: 5, 14, 16, 29, 53 and powerball 7.
The winner has a choice of taking the 314.9 million dollar prize in 29 annual payments or in a one-time payment of around 115 million dollars, after tax.
The December 25 jackpot is the biggest to have been won by a single person, but the third-largest since the lottery was started in 1992.
On July 29, 1998, 13 machine-shop workers in Ohio state won 161.5 million dollars. That same year a married couple won 104.3 million, and on March 4, 1995, another married couple shared 101.8 million dollars.
Run by the Multi-State Lottery Association, Powerball is the biggeest lottery game in the United States. A player chooses six numbers: five from one to 53, and the Powerball from one to 42. The odds of winning the grand prize are one in 120 million.
PA
