Winning $246M Powerball Ticket Sold at Georgia Publix

BROOKHAVEN, GA — Saturday's winning $246 million Powerball ticket was sold at Town Brookhaven's Publix.

The ticket matched all five numbers plus the Powerball for the prize, according to the Georgia Lottery.

The winning number from Saturday's Powerball drawing were 9-19-51-55-62, and the Powerball was 14.

The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are 1 in 292,201,338.

More than 60 tickets in the state won at least $100 in Saturday's drawing.

Winners in Georgia have 180 days from the date of the drawing to claim their prize.

The record Powerball jackpot in January was worth $1.6 billion. It was the largest lotto jackpot awarded in U.S. history and was split by three winners. Earlier this summer, a New Hampshire player won a $478 million prize.

Claiming, Safeguarding Winnings

So, what should you do if you win the big prize? Many lottery winners hire an attorney, financial planner or both, since most people don’t exactly know what to do when they suddenly come into so much money. Some even bring their lawyer with them to claim their prize. The lottery does not offer any counseling services or advice for winners.

You have two choices when you claim your prize: the full value paid in 30 installments over 29 years, or a one-time lump sum that is smaller than the actual total.

Then there are the taxes. The federal tax on lottery winnings is 25 percent. Then, any extra income taxes like state or city would apply.

Financial experts say that if you can get more than a 3 or 4 percent return on an investment, the lump sum is actually the best way to go in the long-term.

Includes reporting by Deb Belt. Image via Shutterstock.