An unnamed winner in Illinois has claimed the $1.04 billion Powerball jackpot in what lottery officials are calling a life-changing draw. The prize represents the eighth-largest jackpot in the game’s history and ends a remarkable 44-draw streak without a grand prize winner. The lucky ticket holder matched all six numbers in tonight’s draw, securing the staggering sum that will transform their financial circumstances overnight. Powerball drawings take place three times weekly across 45 US states, and the game regularly produces some of the world’s largest lottery prizes. The winner now faces the decision of whether to collect their winnings as an annuity paid over decades or as a lump sum, decisions that will likely be made with professional financial and legal advice. Officials have not yet disclosed when the winner plans to claim their prize or whether they will come forward publicly, though many lottery winners choose to remain anonymous to protect their privacy.

Source: Maariv — Original article in Hebrew.