Congrats! New Jersey Family of Eight Wins $429 Million Powerball

Smith bought two $2 tickets, one each for drawings May 4 and last Saturday, and spent an extra $1 on each ticket to get the “Power Play” option, which multiplies the winnings. Valerie Arthur says the ticket was purchased by her 70-year-old mother, Pearlie Smith. Split eight ways, that’s about $35.5 million apiece.

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. (AP) A woman and her seven adult children stepped forward Friday to claim a $429.6 million Powerball jackpot.

Only one ticket matched all six numbers in Saturday night’s drawing, according to Powerball spokeswoman Kelly Cripe. Instead, they came to her mother in a dream, she said.

Arthur explained that the family felt it was important to educate themselves about how to handle their new winnings, so they’ve hired a team of lawyers and advisers. “It was a big shock”.

“We each have dreams that we want to fulfill in this life and do for our community and do for each other and our families, and it was like, well, we have been funded to do that”, Arthur said.

“Now she has her own funding where she can help these young women at-risk”, Arthur said.

That’s a pretty good investment, ‘ Carole Hedinger, the New Jersey Lottery’s executive director, said earlier this week.

The family chose the lower lump sum option over the higher-valued annuity, making Saturday’s sole winning ticket worth $284 million before taxes.

Arthur said the winning numbers 5-25-26-44-66 and the Powerball number 9 had no familial significance such as a birthday or anniversary.

Smith purchased the tickets at a 7-Eleven store on Chambers Street in Trenton. The winning numbers were drawn on Saturday.

This isn’t the first time Powerball luck has struck in New Jersey.

Of the 44 USA states that participate in Powerball, all but a handful will take an additional cut of the money. She told ABC News she was “excited” for the winners.

And their identities will be revealed Friday when state lottery officials unveil the winners of the $429.6 million Powerball jackpot.

The odds of winning at Powerball have been calculated at one in 292 million.