One winning ticket was sold in Los Angeles for Wednesday night’s estimated Powerball jackpot, according to lottery officials. The mystery winner has not yet come forward to claim the massive windfall, but they have one year to do so, according to officials.
Waiting for the Winner
“They have to claim their prize, and then we have to spend time vetting the winner to make sure it is the right person,” said Carolyn Becker, a spokesperson for the California Lottery. “Integrity and transparency are incredibly important to us, so we will probably not know for months and months.”
The Winning Ticket
The winning numbers for the Powerball jackpot were 7, 10, 11, 13, and 24, with a Powerball of 24. The ticket was purchased at the Las Palmitas Mini Market in downtown LA. The winner’s identity will be made public once they come forward.
Anybody Can Win
According to Becker, people don’t have to live in California or be U.S. residents to be eligible to win the Powerball jackpot. The winner could be from anywhere, making it a mystery until they come forward.
What to Do If You Win
The winner will have the option to choose between a lump sum payment of .1 million or an annuity for the full .08 billion, both figures being before taxes. Becker advised the winner to sign the back of the ticket and store it in a safe place, as it is their key to claiming their prize.
Taking Time to Decide
Experts suggest that people who suddenly come into a lot of money should take a “cooling-off period” and avoid rushing into making big financial decisions.
A Massive Jackpot
Wednesday’s Powerball drawing had more than 4.8 million winning tickets overall and lower-tier cash prizes worth .1 million. It was the second time in eight months that a billion Powerball ticket was sold in Los Angeles County.
A Historic Jackpot
The .08 billion grand prize is the third largest in Powerball’s history since it started in 1992. In 2016, the game’s second-largest grand prize of .586 billion was shared among winners in California, Florida, and Tennessee.
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