Lucky winner snags $842.4 million Powerball jackpot in 1st drawing of 2024

(Gray News) - After 34 drawings without a grand prize winner, the first Powerball drawing of 2024 paid off to the tune of $842.4 million for a lucky player from Michigan.

The winning numbers were 12, 21, 42, 44, 49 and 1.

The jackpot was initially estimated to be $810 million, but Powerball says ticket sales pushed it to $842.4 million by the time of the drawing. It is the fifth-largest Powerball jackpot and tenth-largest U.S. lottery jackpot.

The jackpot’s cash value is $425.2 million, if the winner chooses to collect it in a single payment.

Powerball added this is the first time a jackpot has been won on New Year’s Day since the game’s start in 1992.

In addition to the grand prize, six tickets sold garnered winnings of at least $1 million. There were two winners from Florida and one each in Texas, California, Connecticut and Maryland.

The jackpot was previously won on Oct. 11 by a ticket in California that won a grand prize worth $1.765 billion.

The next drawing will be held Wednesday night for a $20 million jackpot.

Lottery tickets are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.