Tom Wood
A woman who may just be the winner of a gigantic billion-dollar Powerball lottery jackpot has been filmed outside of a convenience store in California.
It’s not just any convenience store, though, it’s the one that sold the winning ticket.
Here's the moment she was interviewed by a local news station:
In recent times, there has been an absolute maelstrom of speculation about who might be the winner of a jackpot that stood at $1.08 billion.
That’s the third largest prize that has ever been given away in the Powerball lottery, and – obviously – the woman who claimed to have won the prize was a little bit taken aback.
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Overcome with emotion, the woman was pictured hugging people outside the Las Palmitas Mini Market in downtown Los Angeles, before reporters tried to interview her.
As you might be able to guess, she wasn’t able to give them much in the way of a coherent interview.
What were they expecting? The woman has just won a billion dollars.
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“I can’t even ... I can’t,” the woman jabbered.
“I’m scared right now, I’m so scared.”
When asked if she was the winner, she managed a nod, meaning that we’ll have to wait for definite confirmation, but if she’s not the winner, she’s a great actor or is about to be bitterly disappointed.
The owner of the store, Nabor Herrera, said that he initially thought ‘it was fake’ because he had no recollection of the woman, but his daughters believe that the woman is the daughter of a customer who must have bought the ticket.
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Obviously, the California Lottery have been quick to shut down any speculation.
“Anybody claiming to be the winner isn’t valid until we say it is,” spokesperson Carolyn Becker said at a press conference outside the mini mart on Thursday morning.
The jackpot is the sixth largest in US history, and the third biggest in the state, but it’s also big news for the owners of the store that sold the ticket.
They get a $1 million bonus, too.
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Mr Herrera said that he plans to use that unexpected windfall to take his family on holiday, as well as expanding the business.
He told local TV that he didn’t even realise he’d sold the winning ticket until he showed up at the shop and saw a large press presence.
“I tell you, it’s a surprise for me, I didn’t know what it is filming or what,” he said.
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What’s more, money will also go to the California Public School System, as 80 cents from every ticket purchase goes to the education system.
Becker continued: “Thanks to this jackpot that grew for 39 different draws, the California Lottery raised nearly $80 million for public schools just from the last three months.”
The lottery announced that only one ticket had been sold that matched all of the numbers, but seven tickets matched five, which means they will win around $448,750 each.
In a tweet, the lottery said: “The Golden State luck was in full force as California also sold SEVEN additional tickets that matched 5 numbers missing just the Powerball, winning $448,750 each, in Hayward, La Puente, Los Angeles, Northridge, San Francisco, Santa Clara, and South Lake Tahoe.”
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The winner of the jackpot can choose to either have yearly increments of their prize, or take it as one lump sum.