(Radio Iowa) – Many people are dreaming of becoming billionaires by winning the (as of the posting of this report) estimated one-point-seven BILLION dollar Powerball jackpot Saturday night. Iowa Lottery C-E-O Matt Strawn says there are a few things you need to do if you do win. “Secure that ticket. So whether that’s the bank security box or some secure place, secure that ticket and then consult A trusted advisor. Whether it’s a financial advisor or an attorney, put together a plan for coming in to claim that prize,” Strawn says. Strawn says you have plenty of time to make that plan. “You have 180 days to come see us at lottery headquarters to make arrangements for claiming your prize. So while we would love to know who you are right away on that first day, just know that there is no pressure,” he says. “You have the opportunity to take your time, consult professional advisors and then come and see us and we’ll have that celebration.”

Strawn says the Iowa Lottery would find out if there is a jackpot winner late Saturday. “If it did happen to be sold in Iowa very shortly thereafter, I will know where that ticket was sold, not just the community it was sold in, but the particular retailer that sold that ticket,” Strawn says. He says they prepare for the winner as soon as they know there’s an Iowa winner. “There’s a whole sequence of security processes that take place with our investigators, because even though we may not know who bought that ticket yet, we know that we need to start the investigating process to make sure we know as much about that purchase as possible before an individual comes in to claim the price,” Strawn says.

You would have the option of 770 million in cash or select to get yearly payments. This is the third-largest jackpot in U-S history, and the largest since a a one-point-765 billion jackpot was won in 2023.