Winning Powerball Tickets Sold In Three States

A spokesman for the California Lottery says winning Powerball tickets have been sold in California, Tennessee and Florida.

Spokesman Alex Traverso confirmed the winners for The Associated Press early Thursday in the $1.6 billion drawing. That brings the total of winners to at least three.

None of the winners' identities have yet been revealed.

A winning Powerball ticket was sold at a store in suburban Los Angeles. The jackpot-winning ticket was sold at a 7-Eleven in Chino Hills, about 25 miles northeast of Anaheim.

Lottery officials in Tennessee say the winning ticket for the record Powerball jackpot in their state was sold in Munford, north of Memphis. A news release from Tennessee lottery officials says the state also has a ticket that won $2 million.

The winning Florida ticket was sold at a Publix in Melbourne Beach, according to NBC affiliate WESH TV. The store is located at 3830 S. A1A in Melbourne Beach.

Officials with the Multi-State Lottery Association, which runs the Powerball game, had said they expected more than 85 percent of all the possible number combinations would have been bought for the drawing.

Had no one matched all of the numbers drawn — 4-8-19-27-34 and Powerball 10— lottery officials said the next jackpot would have reached $2 billion.

Powerball is played in 44 states as well as the District of Columbia, U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.

The winners can opt for annual payments over decades or a lump-sum payment.