MADISON, WI (WSAU) -- The Milwaukee suburb of New Berlin is buzzing about who won Wednesday's near-record $768 million Powerball jackpot, the largest lottery prize in Wisconsin history.
Lottery Director Cindy Polzin says the most important thing for whoever purchased the lucky ticket is to immediately sign the back of it because that officially makes it theirs. "Once someone signs that ticket, they are the owner of it. That's the most important part." Polzin says the winner has plenty of time to begin the process of claiming their prize with the Lottery as well.
In Wisconsin, jackpot prizes can be claimed up to 180 days after the drawing meaning the individual or group has until September 24th to claim the prize. "They do have time to get their affairs in order; talk to their family, a financial advisor, or a legal team. Whatever they feel is best for them and their welfare is what they should do," she added. The prize will need to be claimed in person at the Lottery's office in Madison.
Since Wisconsin is not an anonymous state the winner's name will eventually be revealed. In addition to the jackpot, two other tickets sold for Wednesday's drawing matched 4 of the 5 white balls and the Powerball to claim $50,000 and the game's third prize. Those tickets were sold in Fond Du Lac and Waukesha Counties.
To put the windfall into perspective, $768 million would buy each fan in Miller Park 305 bratwursts at a Brewers game. The last Powerball jackpot win for Wisconsin came on March 22nd of 2017 when a ticket sold in Pewaukee claimed a $156.2 million jackpot.
Until Wednesday, the largest Powerball prize claimed by a Wisconsin ticket was a $208 million win by a group of 100 people in the Fond du Lac area in August of 2006.
