Lucky Powerball player wins lottery with huge $478 million jackpot in Georgia

A Powerball player from Georgia is the lucky winner of a whopping $478 million jackpot.

The Georgia lottery confirmed that an unidentified Powerball player in the Peach State matched all of the winning numbers drawn on Oct. 23.

The winning numbers were 2, 15, 27, 29, 39 and the red Powerball 20.

Lottery officials announced that the winning ticket was purchased in Buford, but did not disclose the exact location of the purchase.

The winning Powerball player is the first Georgia winner of the lottery jackpot in nearly a decade.

An unidentified Georgia Powerball player won the $478 million jackpot on October 23rd

Like all Powerball players, the winner from Georgia had to choose five numbers between one and 69 and one Powerball number between one and 26.

Powerball players can also play on the Georgia Lottery website and randomly select their numbers if they choose Quik Pik.

All Georgia participants have the opportunity to increase their potential prizes by $1 or more per game by selecting the Power Play option.

The Power Play option usually increases winnings for all non-jackpot prizes.

However, according to Georgia Powerball rules, a winner with just five white balls automatically wins $2 million in the Power Play, even if the red Powerball number is not the winning number.

The Georgia Lottery confirmed that the unidentified winner had a 2X Power Play.

Unfortunately, since the winner's base number was the jackpot, the Power Play was not applied to the winnings.

Her odds of taking home the top prize were one in 292,201,338 – unlike other potential Georgia Powerball winners.

(Stock photo only) The Georgia Lottery confirmed the winner purchased his ticket in Buford, but did not disclose the exact location of the store

The lucky Powerball winner's ticket is valid for 180 days from the drawing date.

Lottery officials require winners of prizes of more than $600 in Georgia to pick up their prizes at headquarters in Atlanta or other county offices.

Winners of jackpots over $250,000 have the option to keep their names anonymous.

The winner can take home either the $478 million paid out over the next 29 years or a one-time sum of approximately $230 million.

Regardless of the decision, the Georgia Powerball winner will typically be paid and electronically deposited into their bank account within five to ten business days from the date of claim.

According to the Georgia Lottery website, the total jackpot will likely decrease after the government imposes state withholding taxes and state and federal income taxes.

The lucky Powerball winner's ticket is valid for 180 days from the drawing date

After prize collection, the state of Georgia levies its 5.39 percent state income tax and a 24 percent federal income tax on the jackpot.

The Georgia Lottery Corporation will also consider whether outstanding child support payments of $2,500 or more are due, as well as student loans and state taxes for winners who take home $5,000 or more from the lottery.

These taxes also apply to pension payments, but winnings increase by five percent each year, according to the Powerball website.

If the Georgia winner doesn't claim their $478 million jackpot before the deadline, money will be donated to fund the HOPE and Pre-K programs.

The lottery also donates $200,000 of proceeds to the Georgia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities for gambling addiction education and treatment programs.