FREDERICKSBURG, Texas – Two winners of the nearly $1.8 billion Powerball prize were picked on Saturday, with one of the tickets sold in Fredericksburg.
“It’s amazing, never thought it could happen, but here we are!” said Melanie Carter, the manager of Big’s convenience store.
Big’s convenience store, located off Highway 290 and Jenschke Lane, was where a winning ticket was sold. It marks one of the largest lottery prizes sold in Texas history.
The identity of the Fredericksburg winner remains unknown, but the announcement has residents wondering if the ticket holder might be a nearby resident.
“I come here every day,” said Jessica Valdez. “Maybe it’s one of my co-workers.”
Valdez said that she wouldn’t tell anyone if she had won the prize.
“I wouldn’t tell anybody. I would hide my identity,” said Valdez. “That would be a secret I would take to my grave.”
Gary Dyke, a Fredericksburg resident, said he’d approach the money differently if he had won.
“I’d help a lot of people. I’d give a lot of money away,” said Dyke. “Because what am I going to do with way too much money?”
Carter stated that the ticket being sold at her store has changed her mindset.
“I was always told it’s bad luck to purchase at your store,” Carter said. “Lesson learned, I will start purchasing at my store.”
The $1.787 billion prize, which was the second-largest U.S. lottery jackpot in history, followed 41 consecutive drawings in which no one matched all six numbers.
The last drawing with a jackpot winner happened on May 31.
Powerball’s terrible odds of 1 in 292.2 million are designed to generate big jackpots, with prizes growing as they roll over when no one wins. Lottery officials note that the odds are far better for the game’s many smaller prizes. There are three drawings each week.
Each ticket holder will have the choice between an annuitized prize of $893.5 million or a lump sum payment of $410.3 million. Both prize options are before taxes. If a winner selects the annuity option, they will receive one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments that increase by 5 percent each year. Powerball tickets cost $2, and the game is offered in 45 states plus Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.