By Julianne McShane and Phil Helsel; Edited by News Gate Team
Edwin Castro, who wanted to maintain his privacy, said he was “shocked and ecstatic” to have won the historic prize in November.
The winner of the record-breaking $2.04 billion Powerball prize has been identified.
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According to lottery organizers, Edwin Castro purchased the winning ticket for the record-breaking jackpot that was drawn in November.
Castro declined to attend Tuesday’s announcement because he “would like to primarily remain private,” according to California Lottery Director Alva Johnson.
In California, victors cannot maintain their anonymity because their names are public record. Officials stated that additional identifiable information, such as residence, age, or other specifics, is not.
Castro expressed his shock and happiness at having won the prize in a message that was read aloud during the occasion on Tuesday. The statement made no mention of how he plans to use it.
He selected the $997.6 million lump-sum prize, according to state lottery deputy director and spokesperson Carolyn Becker. Most choose to do so, according to her.
Additionally, winners have the choice to take the greater, longer-term award in 30 instalments over 29 years.
Before the name of the lucky ticket-holder could be made public, the winner had to come forward and go through a screening procedure to ascertain whether the ticket and claim were valid, according to Becker.
The California Lottery said at the time that the winning ticket was purchased at Joe’s Service Center in Altadena, a town located about 10 miles northeast of downtown Los Angeles.
The proprietor of the petrol station and convenience shop, Joseph Chahayed, received a check for $1 million on November 8 in exchange for selling the ticket. The 74-year-old Chahayed claimed to have traveled to the United States from Syria with his wife and two children and that he intends to “spread this money with my children and grandchildren.”
The $2.04 billion prize won on November 8 was the biggest ever in the Powerball game’s history, which began in 1992.
The drawing was supposed to happen on November 7, but a problem caused it to be postponed, and the results weren’t made public until the next morning. At the time, the Multi-State Lottery Association said that it was necessary to wait until one lottery processed the sales.
Only two jackpots have ever exceeded $1.5 billion: a $1.53 billion Mega Millions prize won by a South Carolina player in 2018 and a $1.58 billion Powerball prize won by three winning tickets purchased in California, Florida, and Tennessee in 2016.
What are the chances of accurately choosing all six numbers? 292.2 million to one.
By Julianne McShane and Phil Helsel; Edited by News Gate Team
