How Much do Retailers Receive for Selling a Winning Powerball Ticket?

Which state has the biggest bonus for selling a winning ticket? 

California currently offers the biggest retailer bonus. Powerball sellers can earn a reward of up to $1 million. The last time a retailer received this sum was for the record-breaking $1.5 billion draw on January 13th, 2016, where three lucky ticket holders made history and split the jackpot to take home a pre-tax annuity total of $528.8 million each. One of the tickets for the record-breaking draw was sold in Chino Hills, California, at a 7-Eleven on Chino Hills Parkway. 

The 7-Eleven store received the seven-figure bonus for selling the ticket and jubilant scenes greeted store owner Balbir Atwal following the news of the win, as locals flocked to get the scoop on who the new millionaire could be. Atwal told the press "I didn't expect this big crowd, but my Chino Hills customers love me, and I love them." He confirmed to lottery officials that he would donate a portion of the bonus to charity, as well as making payments to his family and employees. 

What rewards are offered for retailers in other states? 

In Florida, retailers can receive a maximum reward of $100,000 for selling a jackpot-winning ticket. The Publix store at 3830 Highway in Melbourne Beach sold a winning ticket for the same record-breaking draw in January 2016. It received $100,000, compared to the $1 million paid to the Balbir Atwal in California. Floridian Maureen Smith, who claimed her share of the jackpot prize, said of the store from which she purchased her ticket, "The Publix. That's my second home. Everybody there is so friendly.”

In other states, such as Tennessee, the retailer bonus for selling a winning Powerball jackpot is a flat $25,000. A bonus of this amount was last paid out on November 26, 2016, when a group of 20 co-workers split the Powerball jackpot of $420.9 million. The store that sold the ticket was the Smokeshop, located on 711 Scottsville Road, Lafayette. Store owner Joyce Gregory, who received the $25,000 payment, said, “I am really tickled. ... It's really going to help our town.”

Become a Retailer 

If you are a store owner interested in selling Powerball entries, you can contact your state lottery for more information and they will issue you with an application form, as well as further information on the rewards on offer for authorized lottery retailers. 

The next Powerball jackpot is an estimated $149 million, and the drawing is on Saturday. Players can purchase tickets at authorized retailers in participating states or can choose their numbers online. If the jackpot is won, details of where the jackpot-winning ticket was sold will be available on the Latest News section and you can also find out more on the Powerball Numbers page.