AUSTIN — Seven Bridges Revocable Trust, of Fredericksburg, Texas, claimed half of the estimated annuitized $1.8 billion Powerball® Grand Prize that was advertised for the Sept. 6 drawing – the second largest jackpot prize won in both Powerball and U.S. lottery history. With a second jackpot-winning ticket sold in Missouri for the same drawing, the two winners shared the Grand Prize. The Texas Lottery’s player selected the cash value option at the time of purchase and received $410,324,470.28 before taxes – the largest prize ever paid out to a single Texas Lottery® player.
The winning ticket, with player-chosen numbers, was sold at Big’s 103, located at 11905 E. U.S. Highway 290, and matched all six numbers drawn (11-23-44-61-62, Powerball 17). For selling the jackpot-winning ticket, the retailer received a $250,000 bonus.
According to a representative of the trust, the player usually selects random numbers, but on this occasion, they decided to choose numbers that were meaningful to them. However, after they purchased the ticket, they realized one of the numbers they had selected was different from the one they had intended to pick. While driving to Church the morning after the drawing, they checked the ticket and realized they had won the jackpot. They pulled over to check their numbers a few more times, placed the ticket in the glovebox and went inside.
A representative of the trust provided the following statement through their legal representation:
“We are Texas true to the state and its values. We believe in family, in faith, and in the blessings that come through both. This is a moment of gratitude for us, a blessing we plan to enjoy and share with those who are special to us and who serve our community. We ask for privacy as we look forward to enjoying our lives together as a family. God bless Texas.”
The winning Powerball jackpot started as a $20 million prize on June 2 and continued for 42 drawings, setting a record for the game’s longest jackpot run before being hit. This is the Texas Lottery’s third Powerball jackpot winner since joining the multijurisdictional game in 2010 and the first since February 2015, when a claimant from Austin won a share of the $564.1 million jackpot prize with two other winners.
“We’re excited to celebrate this milestone with the claimant of the largest jackpot prize in Texas Lottery history,” said Courtney Arbour, executive director of the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), which now oversees the Texas Lottery. “This record-setting prize shows that any Texas Lottery ticket could be the next big winner, all while helping to generate vital funding for public education and veterans’ services right here in Texas.”
About the Texas Lottery
The Texas Lottery’s functions and activities are administered by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation (TDLR), the state agency responsible for licensing and regulating a broad range of professions, occupations and industries in Texas. Beginning with the first ticket sold in 1992, the Texas Lottery has generated more than $41.5 billion in revenue for the state and distributed more than $93.5 billion in prizes to lottery players. Since 1997, the Texas Lottery has contributed more than $35.5 billion to the Foundation School Fund, which supports public education in Texas. As authorized by the Texas Legislature, certain Texas Lottery revenues benefit state programs including the Fund for Veterans’ Assistance. Since the first veterans’ themed scratch ticket game was launched in 2009, the Texas Lottery has contributed more than $279 million for programs supporting Texas veterans.