A rather remarkable win in Arkansas has shone a light on the Powerball anonymity conditions, with the lottery format making its international debut this week.
Powerball is the largest multi-state lottery in the US, operated across 48 states by the Multi-State Lottery Association (MUSL), which has partnered with Allwyn UK to launch the Powerball on the other side of the pond as a National Lottery product.
The lottery has grabbed headlines for different reasons in the US, however. In the state of Arkansas, the winner of a $1.8bn (£1bn) from 2025 was confirmed last week as the younger brother of a mayor in the state.
Tracy Hartwick is the younger brother of Terry Hartwick, the mayor of North Little Rock, Arkansas. The town, as its name suggests, is located north of Little Rock, the capital and most populous city of the southern state.
The ticket was actually for a draw over six months ago, the 24 December Christmas Eve draw in 2025. The jackpot had grown to $1.8bn after 47 consecutive drawings.
Arkansas state law, specifically Act 889 of 2021, gives anonymity to Powerball winners. The law also affords anonymity to other lottery winners, such as those who win big in the state lottery, if the prize is in excess of $500,000.
This is with one exception – elected officials and their family members. These individuals are given anonymity for six months after claiming the prize, before their identities are then publicly revealed.
Due to the huge jackpots involved in Powerball draws, many states offer anonymity to its winners so they can avoid potential harassment or targeting by criminals, such as scamming, burglary or robbery.
Michigan granted anonymity to Powerball winners this year, for example.
Over in the UK, Powerball made its debut last night (Thursday 23 July). The deadline for draws was 11:55pm on Wednesday 22 July. Jackpots are uncapped, as in the US, but start at £12m.
This week’s draw had a jackpot of £300m, with ticket prices set at £4.
Aligned with UK National Lottery rules, all winners can remain anonymous if they wish.
The Powerball has produced seven prizes in excess of $1bn since its creation in the US in 1988, with the largest ever jackpot being a $2.04bn win in California in 2022.