Cabot, Arkansas – The player who purchased the $1.8 billion Powerball jackpot-winning ticket has officially claimed the prize from the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery (ASL). The ticket, which matched all six numbers in the Dec. 24 drawing, was sold at Murphy USA 7879, located at 208 S. Rockwood in Cabot.
The winning Quick Pick ticket bore the numbers 4, 25, 31, 52, 59, with the Powerball number 19 and a Power Play multiplier of 2. The fortunate player chose to receive their prize as a one-time lump sum payment totaling $834.9 million before taxes. State and federal withholdings reduced the final amount, with Arkansas withholding 3.9% and the federal government taking 24%. The winner has elected to remain anonymous.
This jackpot was the second-largest in both Powerball and U.S. lottery history, and its size was built over a record-setting run of 47 consecutive drawings without a winner. That streak came to an end just before Christmas when the Arkansas ticket matched every number needed for the historic win.
Economic Ripple Effects Felt Statewide
The win has far-reaching implications beyond the lucky player. According to ASL Executive Director Sharon Strong, “Everyone was anxiously waiting for the winner to step forward, but we are happy they took the time to seek legal counsel and financial advice first, as we recommended. We are thrilled that the winner is from Arkansas!”
Strong added, “We’re proud to celebrate this moment, not only for our Arkansas winner and for Murphy USA, the Arkansas-based company that sold the winning ticket, but also for the positive impact this historic jackpot will have on our state and our mission to raise funds for in-state scholarships.”
Indeed, the jackpot generated over $15 million in Powerball ticket sales in Arkansas alone. Retailers across the state collectively earned $768,267 in commissions, while Murphy USA 7879 will receive a $50,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.
With the prize now claimed, the focus shifts to the long-term effects of this historic win—both for the anonymous recipient and the educational opportunities it helps fund through Arkansas’s scholarship programs.
