Winning Powerball Numbers For Saturday Feb 24: $269M Jackpot

The Powerball jackpot has gone unclaimed for over a month and Saturday night's prize sits at $269 million. The cash payout will be roughly $132.7 million for the lucky winner. What time is the Powerball drawing? Numbers are drawn every Wednesday and Saturday at 9:59 p.m. Central time.

Saturday's winning Powerball numbers are 24-25-38-62-63. The Powerball is 6 and the multiplier is 2.

The lump-sum cash payout for Saturday's Powerball drawing is estimated at $$160.1 million.

Plays cost $2 each, and Illinois residents can buy tickets online at illinoislottery.com, at almost 8,000 retailers in the state or by using the free Illinois Lottery’s mobile app. The overall odds of winning the jackpot are one in 292,201,338, the Illinois Lottery reports.

You have a better chance of hitting the jackpot if you let the computer pick your numbers. The Multi-State Lottery Association, which operates the Powerball game, says about 75 percent of winning tickets are selected when the numbers are chosen by a computer.

Mega-Millionaire Lottery Winners: Where Are They Now?

And here's a fun bit of Powerball trivia for you: Which state has had the most Powerball winners? Sadly, not Illinois. But we don't need to look too far. Indiana has had 39 Powerball winners, according to the Multi-State Lottery Association, followed by Missouri (31), Minnesota (22), Kentucky (18), and Wisconsin (16).

Lottery Scam Mastermind Who Stole Millions Headed To Prison

The largest three Powerball jackpots ever are:

• $1.6 Billion — January 2016
• $758.7 Million — August 2017
• $590.5 Million — February 2013

Drawings are every Wednesday and Saturday. Powerball is played in Illinois, 43 other states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Players pick five numbers from one to 69 and a sixth, red Powerball number, one through 26. Many people choose a Quick Pick ticket for random numbers. There are different levels of payouts, but to win the jackpot, tickets must match all five numbers plus the Powerball.

When you claim your prize, you may collect the full value paid in 30 installments over 29 years or a one-time lump sum that is smaller than the actual total. The federal tax on lottery winnings is 25 percent.
Winning tickets must be redeemed in the state where purchased regardless of where the winner lives.

Palos Heights Woman Steps Forward To Claim Illinois Lottery's Largest Jackpot Prize In History

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.

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. In Illinois, the tax hit would be 4.95 percent. 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.

Winning tickets must be redeemed in the state where purchased regardless of where the winner lives.

Patch file photo