Record Powerball Winner Set To Be Unveiled at Last

No information has been released by the California Lottery since the momentous draw on November 7, but the winner has now come forward and can look forward to their big moment in the spotlight on Tuesday.

“We will show #CaliforniaEducation a whole lot of LOVE on #ValentinesDay when we unveil the sole winner of the record-breaking $2.04 billion #Powerball #jackpot from November,” said the California Lottery in a tweet.

The winning ticket was sold in Altadena, just east of Los Angeles, at Joe’s Service Center. It matched the full set of numbers - 10, 33, 41, 47 and 56, along with the Powerball of 10. The owner of the store, Joe Chahayed, has already received a $1 million bonus for selling the ticket.

California does not allow winners to remain anonymous, so the name of the winner is set to be disclosed and more details are set to emerge about what they plan to do with their newfound wealth.

It is also set to be confirmed on Tuesday whether the winner has decided to take the $2.04 billion jackpot as an annuity over 29 years, or the lump-sum option of $997.6 million.

Thorough Vetting Process

The deadline for claiming prizes in California is 180 days, but it is one year for jackpot winners. The record-setting player may have wanted to take their time to let the news sink in, while the California Lottery also has to go through stringent checks.

“We have a very thorough process internally, at least here in California, to vet big winners,” Carolyn Becker, deputy director of public affairs for the California Lottery, said last month. “We don’t even call them winners until they’re cleared by that security review.”

Becker added that, as a matter of standard procedure, security and law enforcement officials would always have to work to determine whether the claimant was definitely a winner, rather than a scammer, before announcing their name and granting the prize.

Prior to November’s big win, the record Powerball jackpot stood at $1.586 billion and dated back to January 2016. The grand prize was split three ways - John and Lisa Robinson from Munford in Tennessee, David Kaltschmidt and Maureen Smith from Melbourne Beach in Florida, and Marvin and Mae Acosta from Chino Hills in California.

Find out more about the biggest jackpots in Powerball history, and keep an eye on Powerball.net for more news when the latest winner is announced.