Powerball gives you the opportunity to win one of the largest jackpots ever awarded in lottery history. It is played across 45 states plus Washington DC and U.S. Virgin Islands with Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada and Utah being its only non-participants. Introduced in 1992 as an alternative to Lotto America lottery, Powerball uses an innovative method of selecting winners using two drums that select white balls with different hues as well as its distinctive red Powerball; its single jackpot grows every time it goes unclaimed while offering multiple cash prizes as well.

Each state varies in terms of when winners must come forward and the taxes levied, though there are some defining features, like minimum age for play and whether players may add Double Play tickets. New York is among the most populous states offering Powerball and has seen several nine-figure jackpot winners take place there; its minimum age for participation is 19 which also allows anonymity-minded winners to claim winnings through legal trust or limited liability company instead of directly coming forward with winnings; additionally it has some of the highest state tax rates as well as additional local levies on winnings compared with its counterparts; minimum age for playing is also 19 compared with most states (usually 21-22 for most other states). New York also boasts some of its highest state tax rates as well as local levies.

Florida is another state that has long held lotteries of its own, and nearly joined Powerball multi-state game in 1998 if former governor Jeb Bush hadn’t blocked it. Governor Charlie Crist eventually allowed Florida to join, and it has seen numerous big winners such as one pool at a meat processing plant that scooped $365 Million in 2006. Florida levies a higher state tax rate than many of the other participants; around 8.82 percent of every ticket bought goes towards prize pot.

Georgia was another rousing success story of lottery gaming, with Atlanta-based company’s pool capturing $246 million in September 2016 thanks to Georgia Lottery Program’s longstanding tradition of raising more than $8 billion since it started operating back in 1993. Players may remain anonymous if desired and also purchase season tickets through this state program.

Mavis Wanczyk from Chicopee in Massachusetts became one of the biggest Powerball winners ever when she won $758 Million in August 2017. After quitting her hospital job and declaring she would retire “in style”, she made use of some of her winnings by giving millions away to charity and paying off some mortgage on her suburban home. Furthermore, lottery proceeds support local and state programs including Compulsive Gambling Prevention and Treatment Fund and Multi-Jurisdictional Drug Task Force Grant Fund programs through ticket sales proceeds.