Updated with store that sold the winning ticket and additional details
By Todd Northrop
A single ticket sold in Louisiana has won the $191.1 million Powerball jackpot in Wednesday's drawing, lottery officials announced early Thursday.
The winning ticket in Wednesday's drawing was sold at Brownie's, located at 150 West Maple in Eunice, a small town in Cajun country that straddles Acadia and St. Landry parishes.
The store will receive a bonus of $25,000 or 1 percent of Louisiana's contribution to the jackpot's funding, whichever is greater, for selling the winning ticket.
"The Lottery eagerly awaits meeting the newest 'star' member of our Powerball millionaire's club when he or she comes to claim this historic prize at our Baton Rouge headquarters," said Lottery President Rose Hudson. "In the meantime, we recommend that the winner treat the ticket as cash and sign the back of it for security purposes. It is also a good idea for all winners of substantial prizes, like this one, to seek professional financial advice prior to claiming it."
The $191.1 million Powerball jackpot is the largest single amount won in Louisiana Lottery history. This latest winning ticket brings the total number of Powerball jackpot-winning tickets sold in Louisiana to 16 since the Lottery joined the multi-state game in 1995.
Previously, the largest prize won in Louisiana was a $97 million Powerball jackpot from the Jan. 16, 2008, drawing claimed by Metairie man. (See Louisiana man collects $97 million Powerball lottery jackpot, Lottery Post, May 9, 2008.)
The holder of Wednesday's jackpot-winning ticket has 180 days after the date of the drawing in which to claim the prize, which is subject to federal and state withholding taxes.
In addition to the jackpot winner, two Powerball tickets worth $1 million each were sold in Florida. There were also more than 700,000 smaller cash prizes totaling $7.7 million.
The winning Powerball numbers for Wed., Oct. 25, 2017, were 18, 22, 29, 54, and 57, with Powerball number 8. The Power Play multiplier was 3.
The lump sum payment before taxes in Wednesday's drawing had been estimated at about $119.4 million.
Because there was a jackpot winner, the Powerball jackpot resets to $40 million for the next drawing.
Powerball is held in 44 states, plus the District of Columbia, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico.
A $2 ticket gives you a one in 292.2 million chance at winning the jackpot. Drawings are held at 10:59 p.m. Eastern Time on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
The Powerball jackpot was last won in Louisiana on May 25, 2013, when a $50 million Powerball jackpot was split by three winning tickets, including one sold in Louisiana. The Louisiana ticket was later claimed by the Williams Trust in New Orleans.
Congratulations to the Louisiana ticket holder. May they be good stewards of this wonderful windfall.
So much for anyone who wants to see 1billion dollars. Good for that ticket holder or holders.
I hope the winner steps forward and gets the cash value option or lump sum.
Goes to show that there can be a winner anytime, anywhere, no matter how big or small the jackpot.
Is $2 too much to trade for $40 million, (or $25 million cash value, or even $1 million second prize)?
Once again, the mathematicians theories blown out of the water.
Congratulations to the winner(s), very happy for you.
l am hoping that the winner from the small Town of Eunice, is a teetotaler panhandler. Or someone in desperate need of financial assistance, either from a family, physical or emotional crisis.
So true, so true, but the big question is: If and when you will Win!
That was a nice size jackpot -- $79 million after taxes. More than enough to live large and have money to make charitable donations. And PB is still the top JP:
MM $30 Million
PB $40 Million
CalSuperLotto $26 Million
Noise-gate that was the most positive thing I've read all day either here or FB; may good fortune come your way for being so kind.
Back at you Bluedog101.l have been told that l am a kind person at heart, even though some may think l am a D* head at times.Runs in the family, going back to my GrandMother taking in Jews to hide from the Nazi's back in the 40's. Nevertheless, your kind words are duly noted. Be well!
Congrats!!!
L@@KS Like time For A Good Ole' Louisiana Jamboree Congratulations Celebration -:)
Player Advocicatus
Eddessa_Knight with Lucky Light
Fb really. Reasons why I got off of Facebook. Nothing on there.
I don't see FB as a total negative. Been able to get in touch with old classmates and more importantly fellow retired United States Army soldiers. Friend requests are great with me...so is unfriending mean folks who show their true colors.
$1 billion is never happening again because these games are way too easy to win.
We’re really lucky to see $100 million anymore.
If people want to get in touch with me and lots like using the main search engine there are others and there is mine. I think fb is a waste of time. My amazon sales are picking up and heres the best part. it's not coming from facebook or the other social media sites. I have been off for 2 yrs and honestly there is too much that people post on that site.
I don't need to know every 2 seconds what some one is doing. I don't need someone telling me their going to europe for 3 weeks yet you just told strangers who are friends of someone else go and rob me and my house. really.
Like and follow is just rediculous. If businesses want people to follow and like their not doing something right.
Way too easy really.
We all learned on Wednesday night of January 13, 2016, that we should never say never. More billion dollar jackpots are on the way. Are all LP Members ready to win one billion dollars?
I could take a slice of a couple billion dollar jackpot - B$ - However the starting jackpots are just fine for me and my life-goals. So I suppose that makes me just one happy camper all the way around!