The colossal jackpot, which began growing in November 2015, was big news across the globe, with a whole host of media outlets reporting on the prize. Charlotte Smith, a spokeswoman for Google, claims it was this impressive total that helped land Powerball the prestigious top spot. "That Powerball lottery was building up for a very long time," she told reporters.
The gigantic windfall was eventually won by three ticket holders on Wednesday 13th January. John and Lisa Robinson of Munford, Tennessee were the first to claim their share of the huge prize, announcing their win live on the Today show just days after the draw had taken place. The following month saw David Kaltschmidt and Maureen Smith of Melbourne Beach, Florida, reveal themselves to the nation, while the identity of the third winner remained unclear for a lot longer.
It was this mystery that allowed Powerball’s popularity to continued well into 2016. In July, Marvin and Mae Acosta from Chino Hills, California, came forward to receive their pre-tax share of $528.8 million, ending the growing speculation as to their whereabouts. The couple had been seeking lengthy financial advice and wanted every detail covered before making their claim.
The game’s popularity online will have only increased this weekend following news that a ticket holder from Delaware has become the latest player to win a nine-figure sum. The $121.6 million win saw the Diamond State claim its tenth win in Powerball history and potentially present one very lucky player with a Christmas they will never forget.