Feeling lucky? Winning numbers for Halloween Powerball drawing announced

From staff reports

On the night made for fright, one lucky player could be in for a delight, as winning numbers for the Halloween Powerball drawing were announced.

Monday’s jackpot was the largest Powerball prize so far this year and the second-largest prize in the game’s history.

The record Powerball jackpot was $1.586 billion in January 2016.

The winning numbers for the Monday Powerball jackpot, worth an estimated $1 billion, are 13, 19, 36, 39 and 59. The red Powerball is 13. The Power Play is 3x.

Although the advertised top prize will be an estimated $1 billion, that is for winners who receive their winnings through an annuity paid over 29 years, the Associated Press reported. Winners almost always opt for cash, which for Monday’s drawing will be an estimated $497.3 million.

The drawing on Saturday night produced no winners, and ticket sales continued to balloon over the weekend.

It was not yet clear Monday night whether any jackpot-winning tickets had been sold, and whether there is a winner; it may not be announced in the near future. In Washington state, winners have 180 days from their drawing date to claim their prize, according to Washington’s Lottery.

Winners also face a hefty tax bill: If the prize is more than $5,000, the lottery is required to withhold 24% for U.S. residents (30% for nonresidents) and will forward taxes to the IRS at the time the prize is paid, according to Washington’s Lottery.

If no winner scores in Monday’s drawing, the jackpot will jump to an estimated $1.2 billion.

The next Powerball drawing is Wednesday.

Lottery participants have watched 37 drawings in a row with no jackpot winner, the Powerball said in a Saturday statement. CNN reported that the last grand prize was awarded Aug. 3 to a ticket in Pennsylvania for $206.9 million.

Powerball officials said the odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 292.2 million.