The merits of lump sum versus annuity aside, the point is that the headline number comes from a naive total of how many payments are made in the annuity option. So when it’s listed as a $2 billion jackpot, it’s actually worth something closer to half of that as a lump sum.
The merits of lump sum versus annuity aside, the point is that the headline number comes from a naive total of how many payments are made in the annuity option. So when it’s listed as a $2 billion jackpot, it’s actually worth something closer to half of that as a lump sum.