PHOTOS: Past Powerball Winners
The ticket was purchased at a gas station outside Columbia, South Carolina. The winner told lottery officials he had only played once before, and purchased the winning ticket because his wife asked him to pick up some hot dog buns.
Lottery officials won't say if the winner chose the lump sum payout or yearly payments. They did say he bought $20 worth of Powerball tickets.
The payout is $223.4 million. After state and federal taxes, the winner would end up with $209 million.
South Carolina is one of six states that allows lottery winners to remain anonymous.
The Murphy Express gas station didn't sell buns, but after seeing the $400 million prize advertised, the winner bought the lottery tickets instead, lottery officials said.
The winner checked his ticket Thursday at his home and realized he was a winner. He told the only creature around, his dog, according to the South Carolina lottery.
His dog, his wife and lottery officials may be the only people who know the winner for certain. The other anonymous-claim states are Delaware, Kansas, Maryland, North Dakota and Ohio.
The jackpot was the fourth largest in the history of the game. The South Carolina man was the only winner.
The winning numbers were 7-10-22-32-35, with the Powerball of 19, and were selected by the computer as a "quick-pick."
The store will get a $50,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket. State officials said the winner will pay South Carolina about $15 million in taxes.
The last big Powerball winner in South Carolina also bought his winning ticket at a Murphy Express, but on the other side of Columbia.
The Rev. Solomon Jackson Jr. won nearly $260 million in 2009. He has been active in the community, giving millions of dollars for education around the state. Two days after last week's big jackpot drawing, Jackson gave $500,000 to purchase two new 56-seat luxury coach buses for Benedict College in Columbia.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
