Sole winning Powerball ticket worth $447M sold in California
DES MOINES, Iowa — A sole winning Powerball ticket worth $447.8 million and matching all six numbers was sold in southern California and will claim the 10th largest lottery prize in U.S. history, lottery officials said Sunday.
The winning ticket was sold at Marietta Liquor & Deli in southern California’s Riverside County, about 80 miles south of Los Angeles, according to a release posted on the California Lottery’s website. Lottery officials said the earliest the ticket could be redeemed is 8 a.m. Monday. The winner has one year to claim the prize.
The lucky numbers drawn Saturday night were 20-26-32-38-58, and the Powerball number was 3.
Powerball spokesman Randy Miller said the estimated jackpot prize is based on a winner choosing an annuity, which pays off over 29 years. The cash prize would be $279.1 million. Both prize amounts would be before taxes are deducted.
Before the drawing Saturday night the jackpot was estimated at $435 million. The jackpot had grown because no one had matched all the numbers since April 1.
The odds of winning Saturday’s drawing were only one in 292.2 million.
California Lottery officials said the retailer where the winning ticket was sold will receive a $1 million “retailer bonus.”
Powerball is played in 44 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Marietta Liquor & Deli owner Matthew says he feels blessed for selling the winning Powerball ticket and does not know which of his customers won the jackpot.
Alberre said Sunday he has not received much information about the bonus the store will receive and doesn’t know what his family will do with the $1 million that officials have said is set aside for the store that sold the winning ticket.
Alberre says he and his father own the store in Sun City, originally developed as a retirement community and now part of the city of Menifee.
This year started out tough for Alberre and his father because the father is suffering from pulmonary fibrosis lung disease. He says they were grateful to receive news that their store sold the ticket.
Alberre says the store just off a highway caters to retirees who live in Sun City and motorists who are passing through.
Menifee has about 89,000 residents.
