A Powerball record-breaking jackpot of $204 Crore was won November 7, 2022 by a single winning ticket from California.
However, it isn’t until February 14, 2023 that we learnt more about the lucky Powerball winner.
His name is Edwin Castro and he resides in California where he grew up. California’s public disclosure law on lottery winners did not allow him to remain anonymous. During the press conference following his claiming of the prize, Mr Castro share a statement read by lottery spokesperson Carolyn Becker:
“As much as I am shocked and ecstatic to have won the Powerball drawing, the real winner is the California public school system. The mission of the California lottery, which is to provide supplemental funding for California public education both public schools and colleges, makes this a huge win for the state. As someone who received the rewards of being educated in the California public education system, it’s gratifying to hear that as a result of my win, the California school system greatly benefits as well.”
Alva Johnson, California Lottery Director declared:
“As you might imagine, anyone would like to largely remain private. We offer our sincere congratulations on this unbelievable and historic win.”
Mr Castro had 2 options to claim his Powerball prize: the annuity & the lump sum payment; he chose the latter which totals to slightly over $99.7 Crore. After taxes, he will most likely remain with a bit more than $62.8 Crore.
He had purchased his Powerball ticket at a gas station in a city called Altadena. The shop where the winning ticket was bought received a Bonus of $1 Million from the California Lottery.
Nota Bene: State officials now have Castro’s winning ticket. They said they are considering putting it on display at the lottery’s headquarters.
