The Powerball drawing on October 4, 2021 produced a single jackpot winning ticket worth $699.8 million. This enormous prize ranks as the fifth largest Powerball jackpot in the game’s history. The lucky ticket was sold in California, making it the seventh Powerball jackpot won in the state. Here are some quick facts about the record-setting Powerball drawing on 10/4/21:
Quick Facts
- Winning Numbers: 12, 22, 54, 66, 69 and Powerball 15
- Jackpot: $699.8 million ($496 million cash value)
- Date of Drawing: October 4, 2021
- Winning Ticket Sold: California
- Jackpot Winners: 1
- Retailer: Albertsons, Morro Bay, CA
The Powerball jackpot rolled over 39 times before a single ticket matched all six numbers in the October 4th drawing. Thousands of other tickets won smaller prizes throughout the jackpot run, but the $699.8 million prize belonged to just one lucky player in California. So where exactly in California was the jackpot-winning Powerball ticket sold?
California’s Record Powerball Winner
The winning ticket for the October 4, 2021 Powerball drawing was purchased at Albertsons, a grocery store located at 730 Quintana Road in the coastal town of Morro Bay, California. This makes it the largest lottery prize ever won in San Luis Obispo County.
Albertsons received a $1 million retailer bonus just for selling the winning ticket. Store manager Marc Mogler said the bonus would be shared with all the employees. The store held a celebration for selling the historic ticket.
California joined 27 other states in participating in Powerball back in April 2013. Since then, the state has had seven jackpot winners, including two record-breaking prizes over $500 million. The 10/4/21 Powerball jackpot ranks as the second largest California lottery win ever.
Previous Powerball Jackpot Winners in California
Here are the other Powerball jackpots won in the Golden State:
- $316.3 million – Pearland, February 2015
- $528.7 million – Chino Hills, January 2016
- $447.8 million – Pasadena, June 2019
- $552.7 million – Sacramento, November 2018
- $699.8 million – Morro Bay, October 2021
California lottery officialsreported that total Powerball sales for the 10/4/21 drawing exceeded $101 million. Statistically, lottery ticket sales rise as the advertised jackpot increases to astronomic levels. However, the California Lottery also noted that many players were attracted to the Powerball annuity being advertised at $700 million, even if the cash value was significantly less at $496 million. In the end, the feverish sales resulted in a single California ticket hitting the match-6 jackpot worth nearly $700 million.
Will the Powerball Jackpot Winner Come Forward?
As with most lottery wins, the holder of the winning Powerball ticket may choose to remain anonymous. California lottery winners have the right to privacy, including protection from public disclosure laws. The name, city of residence, and other personal information about the winner can be shielded from the public.
According to California state law, the winner has up to one year from the draw date to come forward and claim the $699.8 million prize. It is likely they will consult with legal and financial advisors before contacting the California Lottery headquarters to begin the claims process. Most experts agree that taking some time before coming forward is wise.
Based on past lottery winner behavior, here are some guesses as to when the 10/4/21 Powerball winner will come forward:
- Within 1-2 weeks to claim the prize privately
- Within 1-3 months for a winners press conference/photo op
- 6-12 months delay before claiming the jackpot
There is a chance the California winner may never actually identify themselves publicly. Lottery officials will know when the ticket is redeemed, but by law do not have to release any information about the winner to the media. Powerball jackpots have occasionally gone unclaimed past the one year deadline, but most experts agree that is very unlikely in this case.
Reaction to the Powerball Win in Morro Bay
The small coastal city of Morro Bay (population 10,000) was turned upside down by news that the record Powerball ticket had been purchased there. The city received extensive media coverage after the drawing. Here are some reactions from around town:
- Residents wondered if the winner was a local or just passing through.
- Many hoped the winner would do some good locally with their new-found wealth.
- Some feared the publicity would attract scammers seeking the winner.
- Businesses proudly announced “the winning ticket was sold here!”
- Friends and neighbors speculated who around town may have won.
While the holder of the winning ticket has not yet been identified, the impact of the huge prize was immediate. Morro Bay provided a glimpse of how a place can be transformed when a resident suddenly wins one of the largest lottery jackpots in history.
How the Winner Could Spend $700 Million
While California withholds state taxes from the lump sum payout, the Morro Bay Powerball winner will take home about $350 million after all taxes are paid to the federal government and the state. Most experts agree that the winner should immediately assemble a team of experienced professionals to help prudently manage their new wealth. But many people can’t help imagining what they would spend the money on themselves.
Here are some of the ways a single Californian could theoretically spend a $350 million Powerball prize:
- Purchase afleet of luxury vehicles worth tens of millions – Ferraris, Bentleys, Rolls Royces, etc.
- Buy several mansions across the U.S. worth $10-$50 million each.
- Fly privately at will with a Gulfstream jet for $65 million.
- Buy a professional sports team franchise valued around $2 billion.
- Spend over $20 million on a massive private yacht.
- Own a private island in the Caribbean for $25+ million.
- Collect rare artwork, jewelry, and antiquities.
- Pay off mortgages and debts for family, friends, and community.
- Donate tens of millions to charities and causes.
- Establish trusts, scholarships, foundations, and endowments.
Of course, most financial experts recommend living reasonably, saving, and investing the majority of a large windfall. Otherwise the funds can be spent quickly and disappear in a few years. But it’s understandable that the holder of a $700 million Powerball ticket will be thinking big.
Odds of Winning the Jackpot
The incredible odds of matching all six numbers to win the Powerball jackpot make the California winner extremely lucky. The odds are 1 in 292,201,338, or less than 0.0000003%. Here are the odds breakdown for various Powerball prizes:
| Prize Level | Odds of Winning |
|---|---|
| Match 5 + PB | 1 in 292,201,338 |
| Match 5 | 1 in 11,688,053.52 |
| Match 4 + PB | 1 in 913,129.18 |
| Match 4 | 1 in 36,525.17 |
| Match 3 + PB | 1 in 14,494.11 |
| Match 3 | 1 in 579.76 |
| Match 2 + PB | 1 in 701.33 |
| Match 1 + PB | 1 in 91.98 |
| Match 0 + PB | 1 in 38.32 |
When the jackpot reaches astronomical levels, the lottery buzz entices more players to purchase tickets. Even though the odds do not actually improve, the rising number of overall players ultimately results in someone finally matching the long-shot odds. More than 15 million winning tickets were sold across all prize levels in the 10/4/21 Powerball drawing.
Changes to Powerball Game and Odds
Powerball underwent major changes in recent years that impacted both the starting jackpots and the overall odds of winning prizes. Beginning in October 2015, Powerball changed from a $40 million starting jackpot to a $50 million base with minimum rollover increases of $10 million between draws. The switch to a $50 million starting point made it easier for the game to produce massive jackpots over $500 million.
More importantly, the game’s odds also changed in 2015. The 1-in-175 million chance of winning the jackpot was altered to 1-in-292 million for better overall odds. The new odds made it statistically easier to match some of the lower tier prizes. However, the jackpot odds lengthened as a trade-off.
The most recent changes produced bigger, faster growing Powerball jackpots. The proof was in the results, with 8 of the top 10 all-time jackpots occurring since the 2015 changes took effect.
Powerball Winners Who Lost or Squandered Big Prizes
While winning hundreds of millions in the lottery appears to be a dream come true, past winners prove that sudden wealth can quickly turn into a nightmare without proper planning. Some of the luckiest Powerball winners ended up losing their fortunes, declaring bankruptcy, or meeting untimely ends. Cautionary tales of big Powerball winners include:
- Jack Whittaker – West Virginia builder won $315 million in December 2002, but had over $500,000 subsequently stolen from his car. He was later sued over bounced checks at a strip club. In 2009, his house caught on fire with losses over $1 million. Whittaker died in 2020 with estates worth just hundreds of thousands, after losing almost all his winnings.
- Lisa Arcand – The first Powerball winner in Massachusetts won $336.4 million in 1998. As she couldn’t handle multiple requests for money, she isolated herself and later became addicted to drugs. Arcand died in 2016 at age 48.
- Andrew Jack Whittaker Jr. – A West Virginia construction company owner won a $314 million Powerball prize shared with co-workers in 2009. His granddaughter and daughter died due to drug overdoses in the years after. Whittaker was sued by Caesars Atlantic City for bouncing $1.5 million in checks to cover gambling losses.
- William Post – Won $16.2 million in a Pennsylvania lottery in 1988, but was living on food stamps just one year later. He declared bankruptcy in 1994 and died in 2006 at age 66.
These stories demonstrate that winning a large lump sum lottery prize can sometimes attract the worst kind of luck afterwards. Hiring financial advisors, security experts, accountants, and lawyers can help avoid the pitfalls of instant wealth. Friends and family members should also be counseled on appropriate requests for money.
Record Powerball Jackpots
Here are the Top 10 Powerball jackpots won over the history of the lottery game:
| Amount | Winner | State | Date Won |
|---|---|---|---|
| $1.586 Billion | 3 winners | CA, FL, TN | 1/13/2016 |
| $768.4 Million | Manuel Franco | WI | 3/27/2019 |
| $758.7 Million | Anonymous | MA | 8/23/2017 |
| $699.8 Million | Anonymous | CA | 10/4/2021 |
| $687.8 Million | 2 winners | IA and NY | 10/27/2018 |
| $656 Million | Merle and Patricia Butler | IL, KS | 3/30/2012 |
| $648 Million | Anonymous | CA | 12/17/2013 |
| $590.5 Million | Anonymous | FL | 5/18/2013 |
| $587.5 Million | 2 winners | CA, NE | 11/28/2012 |
| $564.1 Million | Anonymous | NH | 1/6/2018 |
Until the record $1.586 billion Powerball jackpot split by three tickets in January 2016, no lottery prize had ever surpassed $656 million. However, the last few years have produced enormous Powerball jackpots topping $600 million, $700 million, and even nearing $800 million. The California winner who snapped a ticket worth $699.8 million on 10/4/21 joined an exclusive club of lottery winners in the Powerball’s uppermost echelon.
Conclusion
The Powerball drawing on October 4, 2021 produced a single jackpot winning ticket worth an astonishing $699.8 million. The lucky winner purchased the QuickPick ticket at an Albertsons supermarket in the small coastal city of Morro Bay, California. While the holder of the valuable slip has yet to come forward, their massive prize ranks as the fifth biggest jackpot in Powerball history.
News that the winning ticket came from their tiny community of 10,000 residents put Morro Bay, California into the national spotlight. The huge payday provides a life-changing amount of money to whoever holds the winning Powerball ticket. Hopefully with proper planning, the mysterious new millionaire can avoid the pitfalls and misfortune that have ruined other massive lottery winners.
The Powerball jackpot reset to $20 million after the 10/4/21 drawing and continued rising until one ticket finally matched the incredible odds of 1 in 292 million to win nearly $700 million. Powerball players in California and across the country anxiously wait to see what happens when the holder of the valuable slip claims their prize. But for now, the record $699.8 million Powerball question remains: Who won and what will they do with the money?
