- Theodoros Struijk was recognized as a representative of the group of winners who bought the ticket worth $1.75 billion.
- Midway Market & Liquor in Frazier Park, California won at least $1 million just for selling the ticket
- The next Powerball drawing will be held on Saturday and carries about $600 million
The winner of the $1.75 billion jackpot has finally emerged, five months after claiming the second-largest lottery prize in US history at a local store in Southern California.
Theodoros Struyk was identified as a representative of a group of winners who purchased the ticket at Midway Market & Liquor in Frazier Park, about an hour's drive from Los Angeles, last October.
Accounts bearing Struyck's name have appeared on Facebook and Instagram, but it's unclear whether the accounts are actually owned by him because the mystery victor hasn't shared any content on the platforms.
Although it's unclear how many people were part of the group that purchased the life-changing ticket in October, the family-owned store managed to raise at least $1 million just for the sale of the ticket.
California Lottery Director Harjinder K. said: “Announcing big wins like these gives all our players the opportunity to hope and dream that they might be next,” Shergill Cheema said in a press release.
The winning numbers were 22, 24, 40, 52, 64 and the Powerball was 10.
said Duke, the employee who is believed to have sold the winning ticket CBS Los Angeles Back in October: “The phone was ringing…someone owes me a new truck.”
As the employee surmised at the time, Struik is actually a longtime resident of Frazier Park, a small town where the median household income is $42,200 as of 2020.
“I'm sure it's local,” Duke said. “There are people coming in every day to get their tickets. We know them by name, so I'm sure someone will be screaming up and down.”
This huge amount is the second largest lottery prize in the history of the United States, after Edwin Castro won the $2.04 billion Powerball prize in California last November.
Castro continued his luxury property purchases, sparking speculation about the identity of the country's billionaire lottery winner.
According to the California Lottery, the drawing allows the organization to raise an additional $119.5 million for public schools in the state.
“It gives us an opportunity to highlight our amazing mission, which is to generate additional and complementary funding for public education in California,” Director Cheema said.
“So, it's students of all ages across the state who are winning every day thanks to our players, our retail partners who sell these fun games, and our hard-working employees here at the Lottery. This is an exciting day for all of us!” he said.
Midway Market & Liquor is located about 100 miles north of downtown Los Angeles and is located in the Los Padres National Forest.
Duke R. said:Tremendous excitement grew among the locals as the news spread, and “the phone was ringing off the line, and people were saying congratulations.”
“A lot of customers come in every day to get their tickets religiously, and a lot of them have said ‘If I win, I'll get you a new truck… so where's my truck?'” he joked.
Powerball is played in 45 states, as well as Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Most lotteries allow the winner 180 days to claim their prize. The exceptions are the Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots, which have a one-year deadline.
The next Powerball drawing will be held on Saturday and carries a jackpot currently estimated at $600 million
Winnings will be subject to federal taxes, and many states also impose taxes on lottery winnings.
