IN winning Powerball tickets worth at least $50000

At least three people – in the states of California, Florida and Tennessee – won the Powerball jackpot, Powerball USA said in a message on Twitter.

The winning ticket was sold at a 7-Eleven convenience store in Chino Hills, a suburb east of Los Angeles, California Lottery officials said. The winners have not yet come forward.

Powerball players have spent an estimated $2.6 billion on tickets since the last jackpot was claimed in November.

One winning ticket was sold at a 7-Eleven in Chino Hills, Calif., a spokesman for that state’s lottery said. The winning ticket in Tennessee was sold in Munford, north of Memphis, according to a news release from lottery officials in that state.

It could take several hours before officials know if any tickets sold since last Saturday’s drawing matched all six winning numbers drawn, which were 4-8-19-27-34 and Powerball 10.

One of 12 tickets sold throughout the state with five of six numbers correct was sold in Vacaville, the California Lottery reports.

Powerball tickets are sold in 44 states – including Puerto Rico, the US Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia.

The identities of the winners were not yet known.

Those three ticket holders have won the game’s second prize of $1 million.

In the past week, calls to the Washington-based National Council on Problem Gambling’s help line have soared, largely because of interest in the Powerball jackpot, Executive Director Keith Whyte said.

Tickets cost $2, or $3 for a Power Play ticket, which boosts the value of non-jackpot prizes.

The winning numbers were 4, 8, 19.

If the winners choose an immediate cash payout instead of annual payments over 29 years, they will have to share $930 million.

Wednesday night’s jackpot is a record-breaking $1.5 billion. The jackpot estimate is reviewed daily, so it could increase before Wednesday night’s drawing if ticket sales continue to exceed expectations.

Lottery officials expect at least 80 percent of the 292.2 million number combinations will be purchased before the drawing.