The Powerball and Mega Millions lotteries appear to have broken some major records this year. From multiple billion dollar jackpots to how much money has been paid out to California public schools. Lolita Lopez reports for the NBC4 I-Team on Dec. 13, 2023.
The winner of the second-largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history has been revealed five months after the lucky ticket was purchased at a Southern California liquor store.
In a news release, the California Lottery identified Theodorus Struyck as the representative of a group of winners who bought the winning Powerball ticket at Midway Market in Frazier Park for the $1.765 billion jackpot draw last October.
It was not immediately clear how many people were part of the group that purchased the winning ticket. A jackpot winner's name is public record, according to California public disclosure laws, as are the name and location of the retailer who sold the winning ticket, the draw date of the win and the amount, including gross and net installment payments.
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Midway Market, a family-owned business in the Kern County community, received a $1 million bonus check for selling the ticket. The liquor store is about 100 miles north of downtown Los Angeles, just west of the 5 Freeway in the Tejon Pass in the rugged mountains near the Kern and Los Angeles county border.
The community has a population of about 3,000 people.
The winning numbers were: 22, 24, 40, 52, 64 and the Powerball 10. The winning ticket was finally sold after a winless streak that extended back to July 19 when a player in California matched all six numbers and won $1.08 billion.
The jackpot ranks behind only the $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot of 2022.
Almost all lottery draw games allow for 180 days from the date of the draw to claim a prize. The exceptions are Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots, which have a one-year deadline.
Claiming a prize of more than $600 requires an extensive claim process. A winner's full name, the name and location of the retailer who sold the winning ticket, the draw date of the win and the amount, including gross and net installment payments, are all considered matters of public record and subject to disclosure.
Lottery players in California have won or shared in the winnings of the top-four largest jackpots in Powerball history dating to 2016. All were worth $1 billion.
"Announcing big wins like this gives all of our players the chance to hope and dream that they could be next,” said California Lottery Director Harjinder K. Shergill Chima in a statement. “But it also gives us an opportunity to shine the spotlight on our terrific mission, which is to generate additional, supplemental funding for public education in California. So, it’s students of all ages across the state, who win every day thanks to our players, our retail partners who sell these fun games, and our hard-working staff here at the Lottery. This is an exciting day for all of us."
The next Powerball draw is Saturday. The jackpot is estimated at $600 million.
If you or someone you know has a gambling addiction, please call the National Council on Problem Gambling at 1-800-522-4700 to speak to a counselor. Help is also available via an online peer support forum at www.gamtalk.org, and additional resources can be found at NCPG website.
