California Lottery Reveals $2.04 Billion Powerball Jackpot Winner and Donates $156.3 Million to Public Schools
On Tuesday, California Lottery officials revealed the winner of the record-setting $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot – Edwin Castro of Altadena, California.[0] Castro chose to receive the lump sum payout of $997.6 million and declined an invitation from California Lottery officials to appear at a press conference. A statement was read on his behalf at the event.[1]
Joseph Chahayed, the owner of Joe's Service Center in Altadena, earned a $1 million bonus for selling the winning ticket.[2]
The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are one in 292.2 million and the game is played in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.[3] No other details about Castro were released, including where he lives, in order to protect the person’s privacy.[4]
In addition to Castro’s winnings, California public schools from the kindergarten to university level received $156.3 million from the lottery pool.[5] The prize will be divided among schools according to their average daily attendance records.[6]
The lottery said that for the last fiscal year, it has raised some $2 billion for the state's public schools as 40 cents of every dollar spent on draw game tickets in the state goes toward education.[7]
In California, three tickets were sold that matched five numbers in the drawing, but did not match the Powerball number.[8] Those tickets were sold in Gardena, Beaumont and San Francisco and were each worth roughly $1.15 million.[9] Nationally, 22 tickets were sold.[8]
“I would like to thank all the community (who) support me,” Castro said in November.[10] I strongly urge you to purchase a ticket from this station. You are sure to be successful.[10] He also said he would share his winnings with his kids and grandchildren.
The November jackpot was the first time the California Lottery has doled out a jackpot topping $1 billion to a single winner, and it was the third time a Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot has surpassed $1.5 billion.[11]
It was the 41st consecutive draw without a jackpot winner, prompting a suspenseful drawing-night delay due to technical issues.
This story was first released on February 14, 2023 at 8:00 AM.[6]
0. “Edwin Castro identified as $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot winner” FOX 11 Los Angeles, 14 Feb. 2023, https://www.foxla.com/news/california-2-04-billion-powerball-jackpot-winner
1. “Winner of Record $2 Billion Powerball Jackpot at Altadena Service Station Revealed – Pasadena Now” Pasadena Now, 14 Feb. 2023, https://www.pasadenanow.com/main/winner-of-record-2-billion-powerball-jackpot-at-altadena-service-station-revealed
2. “Winner of record $2 billion Powerball jackpot has been identified” msnNOW, 15 Feb. 2023, https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/winner-of-record-2-billion-powerball-jackpot-has-been-identified/ar-AA17uklA
3. “One Man Won The $2.04 Billion Powerball Jackpot In US. His Name Is…” NDTV, 15 Feb. 2023, https://www.ndtv.com/feature/winner-of-2-04-billion-powerball-jackpot-in-us-finally-revealed-3784303
4. “Winner of record $2-billion Powerball jackpot comes forward with ticket bought in Altadena” Yahoo! Voices, 14 Feb. 2023, https://www.yahoo.com/now/winner-record-2-billion-powerball-163938103.html
5. “Winner of Record $2.04 Billion Powerball Jackpot Revealed” PEOPLE, 15 Feb. 2023, https://people.com/human-interest/winner-of-record-2-billion-powerball-jackpot-revealed
6. “Winner of November’s $2.04 billion Powerball Jackpot is announced” KVIA, 15 Feb. 2023, https://kvia.com/top-stories/2023/02/15/winner-of-novembers-2-04-billion-powerball-jackpot-is-announced/
7. “Winner of $2B Powerball jackpot gratified by schools' part of prize” UPI News, 15 Feb. 2023, https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2023/02/15/Powerball-jackpot-winner-announced/6841676443883/
8. “Winner of $2 Billion Powerball Jackpot ID'd as Edwin Castro, Who Bought Ticket in Altadena” Times of San Diego, 15 Feb. 2023, https://timesofsandiego.com/life/2023/02/14/winner-of-record-setting-2-04b-powerball-jackpot-idd-as-edwin-castro-who-bought-ticket-in-altadena/
9. “Edwin Castro announced as $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot winner” CBS News, 14 Feb. 2023, https://www.cbsnews.com/losangeles/news/edwin-castro-announced-as-2-04-billion-powerball-jackpot-winner/
10. “Altadena $2.04 billion Powerball ticket’s buyer to be identified on Tuesday” The Pasadena Star-News, 14 Feb. 2023, https://www.pasadenastarnews.com/2023/02/13/altadena-2-04-billion-powerball-tickets-buyer-to-be-identified-on-tuesday
11. “Winner of Record $2 Billion Powerball Jackpot Is Revealed” TODAY, 15 Feb. 2023, https://www.today.com/news/winner-record-2-billion-powerball-jackpot-revealed-rcna70725
