Published on: December 31, 2025, 11:18 AM.
Updated on: December 31, 2025, 11:18 AM.
- The Arkansas Lottery has officially released a statement regarding the December 24 Powerball jackpot victory.
- The announcement about this record win comes six days post-drawing.
The Arkansas Lottery has at last recognized the state’s largest lottery win ever.
It appears that the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery took a holiday break during Christmas. After a six-day pause, officials finally addressed the Christmas Eve win.
“Powerball Ticket Worth $1.817 Billion Sold in Cabot,” announced in the December 30 lottery press release. While state lotteries usually promptly highlight such significant wins, Arkansas officials seem to have taken their time post-holidays before addressing this monumental news.
As noted by Casino.org, this winning ticket is for the second-largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history. It was purchased at a Murphy USA gas station in Cabot for the December 24 drawing, matching the winning numbers of 4, 25, 31, 52, 59, and the red Powerball 19.
Official Lottery Statement
In a statement issued almost a week after the historic win, the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery clarified that the owner of this transformative ticket can choose between an immediate cash payout of $834.9 million or the total prize amount of $1.817 billion, distributed in 30 annual installments. Both amounts are subject to federal taxes of 37% and state taxes of 3.9%.
“This is a landmark moment for Arkansas,” proclaimed Sharon Strong, Executive Director of the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery.
“Not only will this positively impact state tax revenue, but it also reinforces the game’s significance as the winning ticket was sold at a local Arkansas business, Murphy USA. This outcome illustrates the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery’s vital role, from player winnings to retailer commissions benefitting local communities and funding scholarships,” Strong further elaborated.
As a reward for selling the jackpot ticket, the Murphy USA convenience store in Cabot is set to receive a $50,000 commission. The proceeds from the Powerball lottery support the Arkansas Scholarship Lottery’s mission, which is dedicated to financing student scholarships within the state.
State Advisory
Following the transformative Powerball win, multiple individuals in Arkansas have claimed to be the ticket’s rightful owner. The Arkansas Lottery warns that anyone attempting to claim the prize without proper ownership could be charged with a Class D felony.
“Fraudulent tickets will undergo investigation and may result in arrest,” cautioned Blake Hudson, Director of Investigation and Enforcement for the Arkansas Lottery Scholarship.
To this point, the winning Powerball ticket remains unclaimed. The fortunate winner has 180 days from December 24 to validate their claim. They may choose to remain anonymous for up to three years before their identity becomes publicly available.
However, this anonymity does not apply to elected officials or their direct family members.
The Arkansas Scholarship Lottery emphasizes it has “a rigorous authorization process to ensure the verification of winning tickets.” Fraudulent attempts will be met with serious consequences.