Mystery surrounds California winner of $2bn ticket who has yet to come forward

Jump to contentSign up to our newslettersSubscribeNewsSportsVoicesCultureLifestyleTravelPremiumCloseWinning $1.9B Powerball numbers drawn after delayThe frenzied interest in winning the record-breaking Powerball jackpot came to a close after it was reported that only one ticket matched the numbers needed to win the more than $2bn grand prize. As of Tuesday, the record-breaking Powerball jackpot had grown to $2.04bn, according to Powerball.The latest update to the grand prize came after players waited eagerly for the results of Monday night’s drawing, only for the drawing to be delayed overnight after one of the 48 participating lotteries required ‘extra time to complete the required security protocols’.On Tuesday, Powerball announced that the winning numbers were 10, 33, 41, 47, and 56, with a red Powerball 10.Following the delayed drawing, which was shared on Powerball’s website and in a video uploaded to YouTube, California Lottery officials announced there was one winning ticket.According to officials, the lucky ticket was sold at Joe’s Service Center in Altadena, California. As players wait for the winner’s name to be released, the interest in the lottery, and its ‘technical’ difficulties, have sparked a number of memes.No one has yet claimed the $2bn grand prize as of Wednesday morning. Follow along below for all of the updates and reactions to the record-breaking Powerball jackpot.1668083400As for what to do if you win the lottery, experts say one of the first things you should do is consult with a financial advisor and a lawyer. And although it may be difficult to keep the exciting secret, lottery winners are also advised not to tell anyone but their immediate family about their winnings. Chances of winning Powerball jackpot are one in 292 millionChelsea Ritschel10 November 2022 12:301668074580While players have remained eager to learn more about the winner of the Powerball jackpot, many shared their happiness over the $1m prize awarded to store owner Joseph Chahayed, who moved to the US from Syria in 1980 with his wife and two children, according to CNN. ‘I think I’m happier for the store owner than I am for the Powerball winner,’ one person tweeted, while another said: ‘So happy for him!!’Chelsea Ritschel10 November 2022 10:031668058200Interestingly, if the winner had purchased the winning lottery ticket in a different state, they may not have been identified in the future, as 11 states allow lottery winners to stay anonymous. These states include: Arizona, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, North Dakota, Ohio and South Carolina. Chelsea Ritschel10 November 2022 05:301668049383While people around the country are understandably interested in the identity of the $2bn grand prize winner, we may have a while to wait before we know any details at all about the individual, as the California State Lottery website notes that winners have a year to claim their prize.However, the name of the winner will eventually be released in accordance with California’s Public Records Act, USAToday reports. In addition to the individual’s name, the winnings, ‘including the gross and net installment payments, are all subject to disclosure,’ the outlet states. Chelsea Ritschel10 November 2022 03:031668040203As updates about both the Powerball winner and the Midterm Elections continue to trickle in, some have questioned why the counting of votes takes significantly longer than the time it takes to identify the time and place a winning ticket was sold. ‘It’s weird that they can track the wining ticket down to the location of sale and the exact time of purchase and how many winners within 30 minutes of drawing the numbers but our elections! It takes days, weeks or months to determine a winner! Fix the process,’ one person tweeted. Chelsea Ritschel10 November 2022 00:301668033003As for the ‘technical’ difficulties that held up Monday night’s drawing earlier this week, it has since been revealed that Minnesota was the state behind the delay.The lottery said the delay was due to issues with its sales verification due to ‘unprecedented lottery interest,’ according to The Hill. ‘The delay was necessary to confirm the Powerball drawing could be conducted securely and accurately,’ the lottery stated. ‘At no time was the integrity of the process compromised.’The explanation comes after the Multi-State Lottery Association said the delay was caused by one of the 48 participating lotteries, but did not specify which state. ‘This has happened a few rare times before – just not when the jackpot was at a newsworthy amount,’ the lottery association said while announcing the delay.Chelsea Ritschel9 November 2022 22:301668027567While we still don’t know anything about the lucky individual who won the Powerball jackpot, we do know details about the man who sold the winning ticket – who now happens to be a millionaire himself.According to The Los Angeles Times, Joseph Chahayed, 75, is the owner of the gas station in Altadena, California, where the winning ticket was sold. As a result, Chahayed received his own cheque for $1m, a Powerball bonus awarded by lottery officials. As for what he plans to do with the money, Chahayed said he plans to share the money with his family, including his 11 grandchildren. Chelsea Ritschel9 November 2022 20:591668017681As curiosity over the winner’s identity continues, some have joked that the ‘real’ winner of the $2.04bn Powerball jackpot is the IRS, as the individual with the winning ticket will receive just $627.5m after taxes if they choose to accept their winnings in a lump sum cash prize.’The winner of the $2bn Powerball jackpot nets $627.5m after taxes. The real jackpot winner is the IRS,’ one person joked on Twitter, prompting another person to respond: ‘The IRS thanks you for your lottery contributions.’Chelsea Ritschel9 November 2022 18:141667998587As of Wednesday morning, the winner of the $2bn Powerball grand prize had yet to come forward and claim their earnings.Nothing is known about the winner other than they bought the ticket from Joe’s Service Center in Altadena, Southern California.Jenna Amatulli9 November 2022 12:561667997362New reports indicate that there are still plenty of people who can be excited with the most recent Powerball drawing, even if they haven’t won the grand prize. A third prize, a whopping $50,000, has been won by many people around the country. The Maine Lottery says there were two $50,000 winners who have yet to collect whle New York says they sold 20 third-prize winning tickets, each worth $50,000.For a full list of where each of these tickets were sold, you can check New York locations here and Maine locations here. Jenna Amatulli9 November 2022 12:36Registration is a free and easy way to support our truly independent journalismBy registering, you will also enjoy limited access to Premium articles, exclusive newsletters, commenting, and virtual events with our leading journalistsAlready have an account? sign inRegistration is a free and easy way to support our truly independent journalismBy registering, you will also enjoy limited access to Premium articles, exclusive newsletters, commenting, and virtual events with our leading journalistsAlready have an account? sign inPowerballprizeLotterylottery jackpotPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in