$1.817 billion Powerball winner, politician’s brother, took the cash option
Tracy Hartwick, younger brother of North Little Rock, Arkansas, Mayor Terry Hartwick, won $1.817 billion Christmas Eve Powerball with a Walmart gas station ticket.
Just before Christmas Eve, someone bought a Powerball ticket from a Walmart gas station — and it was worth $1.817 billion.
Once again, a $2 Powerball ticket made someone a billionaire, because like they say in the lottery business, “it could happen to you.”
At the time, the grand prize was for an estimated $1.7 billion, however, final ticket sales pushed it to the historic amount of $1.817 billion on Dec. 24, 2025.
Almost one month after the drawing, the big prize was claimed − by a politician’s brother.
Here’s what we know.
Who won $1.817 billion Powerball in Arkansas on Christmas Eve, Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025?
After the Dec. 24, 2025, drawing for a then-$1.7 billion prize, Powerball and Arkansas Scholarship Lottery announced the $1.817 billion Powerball ticket was purchased from the Murphy USA gas station at the Walmart Supercenter in Cabot, Arkansas.
On Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026, four weeks after the Christmas Eve drawing, the winner of the $1.817 billion Powerball claimed their prize at Arkansas Scholarship Lottery headquarters in Little Rock. Officials announced the lucky winner opted for a one-time lump sum payment.
The winner elected to remain anonymous — but that didn’t last for long:
Tracy Hartwick, the younger brother of North Little Rock, Arkansas, Mayor Terry Hartwick, won the $1.817 billion 2025 Christmas Eve Powerball drawing, reported local news outlets KARK and the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Tracy Hartwick claimed 94% of the jackpot prize. Another brother, Timothy A. Hartwick, claimed 3% of the prize, and a third unnamed person took the remaining 3%, reported local news outlet THV11.
A Powerball news release states Tracy Hartwick had elected to remain anonymous when he claimed his prize and chose to receive a one-time cash payment of $834.9 million before taxes.
While winners can choose to remain anonymous for as long as three years, Hartwick was informed that his win could only remain confidential for six months because his brother is an elected official, THV11 said.
“Everyone was anxiously waiting for the winner to step forward, but we are happy they took the time to seek legal counsel and financial advice first, as we recommended. We are thrilled that the winner is from Arkansas!” Arkansas Scholarship Lottery executive director Sharon Strong said online. “We’re proud to celebrate this moment, not only for our Arkansas winner and for Murphy USA, the Arkansas-based company that sold the winning ticket, but also for the positive impact this historic jackpot will have on our state and our mission to raise funds for in-state scholarships.”
Who sold $1.817 billion Powerball ticket in Arkansas?
Murphy USA gas station, 208 S. Rockwood Drive, Cabot, Arkansas, sold the lottery ticket that matched all five numbers plus the Powerball in the Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025, or Christmas Eve Powerball drawing for a then-$1.7 billion jackpot.
Final ticket sales pushed the total to a whopping $1.817 billion, the second-highest jackpot in Powerball’s history.
Maps show the Murphy USA gas station in the Walmart Supercenter that sold the golden ticket is close to a Home Depot, Kroger, Olive Garden, and Cabot Emergency Hospital. Cabot is about 30 miles from Little Rock, Arkansas.
Arkansas State Lottery awarded the Murphy USA site a $50,000 commission or lottery bonus for selling the billion-dollar Powerball ticket.
Why couldn’t $1.8 billion Powerball winner Tracy Hartwick remain anonymous?
Because the winner’s brother is an elected official, he could not remain anonymous for longer than six months, according to Arkansas law.
The law, Act 889 of 2021, states that elected officials and their family members can only remain anonymous for six months after claiming a lottery prize. However, members of the public may remain anonymous for three years after a lottery win.
Can lottery winners in Arkansas stay anonymous?
According to the law, the identities of the politicians and their family members who are “related in the second degree of consanguinity” who win the lottery will be revealed after six months. Family members include parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, siblings, nieces and nephews, and grandchildren.
When it comes to staying anonymous after winning a Powerball or Mega Millions grand prize, lottery rules differ per state.
The Arkansas Scholarship Lottery site says winners grant the ASL the right to use and publish (in print or online):
- the winner’s name
- photograph
- statements made by the winner
- audio sound clips and video or film footage of the winner
Does Walmart sell lottery tickets? Where to buy lottery tickets in Florida
In Florida, most gas stations and some grocery stores sell lottery tickets. It’s harder to find a gas station that doesn’t sell Powerball, Mega Millions, Florida Lottery and scratch-off tickets than it is to find one that does.
Publix also sells lottery tickets and is known for selling many winning tickets. A lesser-known location is Walmart. Whether the Walmart location closest to you sells lottery tickets depends on your state and the store. Many Walmart locations in Florida have self-service lottery ticket vending machines or sell lottery tickets at the customer service desk.
You can use the “Where to Play” search tool on the Florida Lottery website to find a grocery store or gas station near you that sells lottery tickets.
Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Subscribe to the free Florida TODAY newsletter.
This content is sourced from www.tcpalm.com and is shared for informational purposes only.
