I won the $1.6 billion Powerball lottery jackpot – a strategy I used on the winning numbers to beat 1 in 292 million

THREE lucky lottery winners have shared the strategies that landed them the biggest Powerball jackpot in history.

When they won $1.6 billion in 2016, the winners had two choices: to claim around $533 million before taxes as an annuity or $327.8 million as a lump sum.

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The three Powerball winners are the biggest lottery jackpot winners in the world, according to LiveAbout.com.

Tennessee’s John and Lisa Robinson, Florida’s Maureen Smith and David Kaltschmidt, and California’s Marvin and Mae Acosta bought the three winning tickets.

When choosing their numbers, two of the winners used the same strategy and chose the quick pick method.

However, Maureen Smith said she plays the same numbers she has been using for about 30 years.

The Robinsons’ winning ticket was one of four they bought at a grocery store.

They opted for the lump sum payout for their winnings, with John Robinson telling local media: “We’re not guaranteed tomorrow.

“You just can’t sit down, lie down and do nothing.”

Maureen Smith bought her winning ticket at a Publix supermarket in Melbourne Beach.

All winners have opted to receive a smaller amount of their jackpot as a lump sum, which is less because you are paying a large amount of taxes at once.

With the annuity option, you pay tax on the amount you receive annually.

The Acosta pair is a good example of taking the time to win such a big prize. They waited six months before claiming their lump sum.

Each state has different time limits for how long winners can wait to claim lottery prizes.

In California, lottery winners have 180 days from the date of winning to claim a lottery prize, with the exception of Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots, according to the California state lottery website.

Experts have warned winners to remain anonymous when claiming the prize.

According to WorldPopulationReview.com, there are 11 states where lottery winners can claim their prize anonymously from 2022

According to several reports, when winning large sums of money it is important to have good legal and financial representation and advice.

After winning, Maureen Smith and David Kaltschmidt didn’t tell their family members about their win until a month later.

The couple sought legal help and formed a trust called The Nickel 95 Trust for the lump sum, according to the New York Post.

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