Recent developments have revealed the identity of the individual who won the astonishing $1.817 billion Powerball jackpot on Christmas Eve last December.
Since 2021, those who win $500,000 or more through the Arkansas Lottery have been permitted to keep their identities confidential for three years. However, this anonymity does not extend to elected officials and their immediate family members, a measure designed to uphold public trust in the lottery’s fairness.
In January, the individual holding the winning Powerball ticket from December 24 came forward and chose a one-time pre-tax cash payout of $834.9 million. Initially, it was reported that this winner wished to remain anonymous, but subsequent investigations revealed that their connection to an elected official necessitated a public disclosure.
Family Connections
The winning ticket holder has been confirmed as Tracy Hartwick, who purchased the transformative ticket at the Murphy USA gas station located in Cabot. He is the sibling of long-serving North Little Rock Mayor Terry Hartwick (D).
According to Arkansas Lottery law, the identities of close relatives (up to the second degree of consanguinity) must be disclosed.
A request made under the Freedom of Information Act allowed the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette to uncover that Tracy Hartwick retained 94% of the cash payout, while Timothy Allen Hartwick, another brother of the mayor, received 3%, roughly equating to $25 million before taxes. The remaining 3% went to an unrelated individual, who is permitted to remain anonymous.
After accounting for federal taxes and the state’s 3.9% cut, the net payout from the ticket was about $493.5 million. Consequently, Tracy’s share totaled around $463.9 million, while the two others each received roughly $14.8 million.
Tracy Hartwick previously owned and managed a small HVAC company. Mayor Hartwick is currently serving his third non-consecutive term, having held the mayoral position of North Little Rock from 1985 to 1988 and returning to the role in 2021.
North Little Rock ranks as the seventh most populated city in Arkansas, boasting approximately 64,500 residents.
At the time Tracy was purchasing the Powerball ticket, his brother the mayor was under investigation by state police following allegations of inappropriate conduct from a high school student. A special prosecutor concluded the inquiry in April 2026, stating the allegations did not meet the legal criteria for sexual assault or harassment. The mayor has consistently denied the claims throughout the investigation.
Lottery Drought: Mega Millions and Powerball
Lottery players have not experienced a winning streak like the Hartwicks in quite some time. The Mega Millions jackpot has remained unclaimed since March 17, and the Powerball grand prize has not been hit since May 2.
In total, these popular interstate lottery games have conducted 66 consecutive drawings without a ticket hitting the jackpot.
The Mega Millions drawing scheduled for tomorrow night (July 17) is estimated to have a jackpot of $672 million, with a cash option valued at $293.3 million. The next Powerball drawing will take place on Saturday, featuring a projected jackpot of $526 million and a cash option of $233.5 million.