Powerball Winning Numbers For Wednesday Feb 28: $293M Jackpot

MILWAUKEE, WI — Milwaukee residents are catching "Powerball fever" again after the jackpot for Wednesday night's drawing swelled to an estimated $293 million . Odds of winning either the Powerball are pretty slim: about one in 292.2 million. Lottery Director Cindy Polzin noted, "large jackpots create excitement, and that's fun for everyone," she said. "Wisconsin homeowners are big winners as well because lottery proceeds go toward property tax relief."

A lucky winner in Wednesday's Powerball drawing could choose to take a cash payout of $172.6 million. The last time the game had a big jackpot was in August 2017, when a player in Massachusetts won $758.7 million.

The numbers for the Wednesday, Feb. 28, 2018 Powerball are:

12 30 59 65 69 powerball 16

How to Play
Tickets must be purchased by 9 p.m. on Wednesday and Saturday to be included in the drawing:

• Each ticket costs $2 per play
• Choose five different numbers 1 to 69 and one Powerball number 1 to 26
• Sign your ticket and check it as soon as possible to avoid missing out on any prize you may have won.

While the jackpot gets the most attention, there are other prizes to be won in Powerball. Prizes range from $4 for matching just the Powerball to $1 million for matching all five numbers (but not the Powerball).
'For an extra $1 per play, you can choose Power Play to increase your non-jackpot winnings which will be multiplied by the drawing's Power Play number. For example, if your prize is $50,000 and the Power Play number is 5, you win $250,000 just by adding Power Play. The $1 million prize automatically becomes $2 million with Power Play.

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.

Patch.com File Photo