Missouri Powerball winner who split historic $1.78B jackpot breaks silence: ‘I’m a homebody’
The Missouri ticket holder who won half of Powerball’s historic $1.78B jackpot described himself as a “homebody” and said the mind-blowing payday has caused the “best problem” he’s ever had.
The anonymous winner claimed his life-changing prize — a one-time payment of about $410.3 million — at the lottery headquarters in Jefferson City, officials said Monday, just over two weeks since he was declared Missouri’s richest champion.
He said his newfound fortune still hasn’t sunk in.
The QuickTrip that sold the winning lotto ticket in St. Louis. Google Maps
“I’m like a homebody. The perfect day is sitting at home doing what I do — relaxing,” the winner said. “I’m a millionaire, a multimillionaire, and I’m doing laundry last night…”
Missouri law allows anonymity for lottery winners and his identity could remain a mystery forever.
He picked the lucky ticket for the record-shattering Sept. 6 drawing at a QuikTrip convenience store in St. Louis, where his winning numbers were 11, 23, 44, 61, 62 and the Powerball was 17.
Despite his excitement about hitting the jackpot, the married man revealed that it had led to some sleepless nights.
“It’s the best problem I’ve ever had,” he said.
Turning to his plans, the winner said he and his wife intend to focus on themselves for the first year.
Powerball tickets come off the printer at a convenience store in Indianapolis, Friday, Aug. 29, 2025. AP
“I’m going to just do me for a year,” the winner said.
The Show-Me State winner shared that the money will help lighten his wife’s workload and give them more cherished time together.
“She’s going to drag me out of town now,” he quipped.
Even though he must split the record-breaking jackpot with another lucky player in Texas, his share — worth $893.5 million — still secures him the largest lottery prize ever won in Missouri.
He had the choice between the full $893.5 million prize, paid out over 30 installments, or a one-time lump sum.
“It was a record-setting night for the Missouri Lottery, with the $893.5 million prize ranking as the highest jackpot prize won in Missouri to date,” Missouri Lottery executive director Lester Elder said.
“It exceeds the previous record of $293.7 million from a Powerball drawing held in November 2012.”
The odds of winning a prize are 1 in 24.9 million, while the odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.
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You have the highest chances of winning the Powerball if you live in one of these 5 lucky states There have been four winning Powerball jackpots in 2025 — with the next-most recent ticket holder scoring a $204.5 million payday in California on May 31.
Earlier this year, three other jackpots were hit: a $167 million winner in Kentucky on April 26, a $526.5 million ticket in California on March 29, and a $328.5 million winner in Oregon on January 18.
Only three of Powerball’s five largest jackpot winners have been publicly identified.
Californian Edwin Castro holds the title for the largest Powerball win in history, claiming the $2.04 billion pool on Nov. 7, 2022. He chose the $997.6 million payout.
In March 2024, fellow Californian Theodorus Struyck stepped forward to represent the group of people who split a $1.765 billion prize after purchasing the ticket at a Midway Market & Liquor in Frazier Park, Calif.
A limited liability company claimed the $1.6 billion prize won during a drawing in August 2023, choosing to receive a one-time, lump-sum payment of $794,248,882.
The three winners of Powerball’s fourth-largest jackpot worth $1.59 billion came forward in 2016, but remain anonymous.
