Posted on: January 22, 2026, 10:10h.
Last updated on: January 22, 2026, 10:12h.
- The winner of the $1.87 billion Powerball jackpot has come forward in Arkansas
- The winner’s identity will remain anonymous for three years, as permitted by state law
- The winner chose the one-time cash option of approximately $834.9 million
The winner of the $1.817 billion Powerball Christmas Eve jackpot has come forward, but their identity won’t be made known for three years.
The Arkansas Scholarship Lottery, which sold the Dec. 24 Powerball ticket that matched the winning numbers of 4, 25, 31, 52, 59, and the red Powerball 19, says the winner “recently” claimed the life-changing prize. The lucky winner opted to remain anonymous for three years, as permitted by Arkansas law.
Lottery officials said the winner chose the one-time cash option of $834.9 million. After federal taxes and the state’s 3.9% cut, the winner’s net payout came to approximately $493.5 million.
The winning ticket was sold at the Murphy USA gas station, located next to the Walmart Supercenter, at 208 S. Rockwood Drive in Cabot.
Winner Details
The release from the Arkansas Lottery didn’t provide many details on the winner, such as their plans for the financial windfall. However, the lottery did disclose that the winner is an Arkansas resident.
Everyone was anxiously waiting for the winner to step forward, but we are happy they took the time to seek legal counsel and financial advice first, as we recommended. We are thrilled that the winner is from Arkansas,” said Arkansas Scholarship Lottery Executive Director Sharon Strong.
“We’re proud to celebrate this moment, not only for our Arkansas winner and for Murphy USA, the Arkansas-based company that sold the winning ticket, but also for the positive impact this historic jackpot will have on our state and our mission to raise funds for in-state scholarships,” Strong added.
For selling the winning ticket, the Murphy USA business collected a $50,000 bonus commission. The commission only comes after the ticket is redeemed.
The Arkansas Lottery said Powerball generated more than $15 million in cash sales during the jackpot run that ran a record 47 draws. Lottery retailer commissions in Arkansas during the streak totaled $768,267.
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