Kansas truck driver, Donald Damon, got the surprise of his life when he learned he held the winning ticket for the Powerball lottery drawing held November 11, 2009. The advertised lottery jackpot was $96.6 million. Damon could have chosen to collect his prize in 30 annual payments of $3,220,000 (30 $3.22 million = $96.6 million), but instead he elected to accept a lump sum payment of $48,367,329.08, roughly half the stated jackpot total. Kansas truck driver, Donald Damon, got the surprise of his life when he learned he held the winning ticket for the Powerball lottery drawing held November 11, 2009. The advertised lottery jackpot was $96.6 million. Damon could have chosen to collect his prize in 30 annual payments of $3,220,000 (30 $3.22 million = $96.6 million), but instead he elected to accept a lump sum payment of $48,367,329.08, roughly half the stated jackpot total