I won a $2 million Powerball prize from a ticket I bought at a card shop – but lost $700,000 when I picked up my prize

A POWERBALL ticket bought at a card shop was worth a whopping $2 million prize.

They didn't get to keep the full lottery prize, though.

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The Groovy D Limited Liability Company from Oyster Bay, New York, matched the first five white balls for a November 22, 2023 drawing.

While New York doesn't allow lottery winners to claim anonymously, sometimes players form an LLC to claim money on their behalf.

They company missed the Powerball to win the full jackpot, but the prize doubled to $2 million since they added Power Play to their ticket purchase.

After withholdings, the LLC claimed its prize as a one-time lump sum payment of $1,302,009, so they gave up almost $700,000.

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The numbers drawn were 20, 24, 33, 39, 42, and 21 for the Powerball.

The company got its ticket from Lindy’s Card & Gift in Jericho, 20 miles east of New York City.

WINNING WOES

The LLC had to make a tough decision when they claimed their prize.

Every major lotto winner must decide to claim their prize in annuity payments or as a one-time lump-sum payment.

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Annual installments are usually paid over 20 or 30 years and provide a constant income stream.

The lump-sum option provides cash instantly, but a portion of the prize gets slashed upfront.

Winners are also faced with tax deductions from state and federal withholdings.

TICK TOCK

Powerball players in Iowa should check their old tickets before summer hits.

Just weeks remain before a whopping prize worth $2 million will expire on May 23.

The winner bought their ticket at Clinton Liquor, an alcohol retailer three hours east of Des Moines.

Ticketholders should look for the following digits for the five matched white balls: 27, 33, 63, 66, and 68.

Top lottery winners in the US

Millions dream of winning the lottery and finding fame and fortune. These are the biggest winners in US lottery history.

• Edwin Castro - $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 8, 2022, in California.
• Theodorus Struyck - $1.765 billion, Powerball, Oct. 11, 2023, in California.
• Unknown winner - $1.602 billion, Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023, in Florida.
• Marvin and Mae Acosta from Los Angeles, California, John and Lisa Robinson from Munford, Tennessee, and Maureen Smith and David Kaltschmidt from Melbourne Beach, Florida - $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016.
• Unknown winner - $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018, from South Carolina.
• Unknown winner - he sued the mother of his child to keep his identity hidden - $1.348 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023, from Maine.
• Unknown winner - $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022, from Illinois.
• Unknown winner - $1.326 billion, Powerball, April 7, 2024, from Oregon.
• Yanira Alvarez - $1.08 billion Powerball, July 19, 2023 in California.
• Wolverine FLL Lottery Club - $1.05 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 22, 2021, from Michigan.
• Unknown winner - $842.4 million Powerball, Jan. 1, 2024, from Michigan.

While this player also missed the Powerball, they doubled their prize to $2 million by purchasing Power Play.

If they can find their winning ticket in time, Iowa Lottery officials recommend making an appointment at headquarters in Clive.

According to the Powerball lottery, the odds of matching five white balls in a drawing are one in 292,201,338.

Drawings happen every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:59 pm ET.

The U.S. Sun covers more stories on scratch-off winners and Mega Millions drawings.

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Another $2 million Powerball winner lost $580,000 before picking up their prize.

Meanwhile, a woman from North Carolina had to give up a quarter of her $100,000 scratch-off prize.

Read our lottery live blog for the very latest news and updates...

Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:

• Establishes time and monetary limits before playing 
• Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
• Never chase their losses
• Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry, or depressed

If you or someone you know is struggling with gambling addiction, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700 or visit the National Council on Problem Gambling online.