Powerball jackpot of nearly $700m won in California

It was first jackpot win since June and offers lump sum prize of $496m

(Getty Images)

A winning Powerball lottery ticker worth nearly $700m was sold in California, officials say.

The winning ticket for Monday’s draw, which consisted of the numbers 12, 22, 54, 66, 69 and the Powerball of 15, was sold at a grocery store in Morro Bay, California.

The jackpot prize of $699.8m was the seventh largest in US lottery history and the fish biggest ever Powerball prize.

The prize had grown massively because no one had won the jackpot in 40 previous drawings since June, officials said.

The winner will get the full amount if they take it as an annuity, where they receive 30 annual payments over 29 years.

But if they take the lump sum cash prize, the after-tax value will be $496m. say organisers.

Tickets winning $1 million were also sold in Arizona, Florida, Virginia and two in Massachusetts, Powerball said.

Also, a ticket sold in Tennessee matched the five white balls and included the Power Play feature, doubling the prize to $2 million, according to Powerball.

Powerball is played in 45 states plus Washington, DC, the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

Officials say that the jackpot drought is by design, as the game’s odds of 292.2 million to one are intended to generate huge prizes that interest more players.

The 41st drawing set a record, topping the previous mark of 36 drawings that ended in January 2021.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.