Apparent Arizona winner captured on video the moment he learned of win

Nov 30, 2012, 8:43 am (221 comments)

Powerball

Several store customers and clerk saw winning ticket, verified winning numbers

Apparent winner purchased ticket in Arizona but checked ticket in Maryland

Includes video report

A man, who appeared to be a construction or highway worker, walked into a Prince George's County, Maryland, Exxon Thursday afternoon and — according to witnesses — walked out a multi-multi-millionaire.

Employees and customers at Marlboro Village Exxon are still buzzing from the remarkable scene they witnessed this afternoon.

Surveillance cameras show a tall, bald man donned in a neon yellow outfit walk slowly in, in no particular rush. He digs deep into a pocket to pull out various lottery tickets. He checks to see if he won anything.

Seconds later, he starts pumping his arms. He gives the ticket, which he says he purchased in Arizona, to clerk Nagassi Ghebre, who says the winning numbers were on the Powerball ticket.

The apparent winner of one of the biggest jackpots of all time quickly turns to a customer for further verification.

If this one of the two national winners, this mystery man gets, after splitting the cash option with a winner from Missouri, nearly $200 million.

One customer said he heard the possible winner may be in the military.

According to witnesses the man did not buy the ticket in Maryland. He merely showed people what looked like a winning ticket.

According to an Arizona Lottery official, the ticket was purchased in a store near Scottsdale. The man would have to return to Arizona to turn in his winning ticket within 180 days.

VIDEO: Watch surveillance video of the man reacting to his huge win

ABC News, Lottery Post Staff

Comments

Original Bey's avatarOriginal Bey

Hmmmm......

c*aramel

I have family in Upper Marlboro. Is he a cousin?

Todd's avatarTodd

If this guy really is the winner, this is some of the coolest lottery video ever.

dallascowboyfan's avatardallascowboyfan

WOW!!!! maybe he was visiting for there for the Holiday last week and bought his ticket on Sunday like I did. I know when my sister in-law came she bought tickets from Maryland and checked them here as well. So anything is possible.

rock_nc's avatarrock_nc

This is what I seen on the News this morning. He must have been traveling through ARIZONA and purchase the ticket.

Sabrina1012001's avatarSabrina1012001

That is absolutely cool. Don't think I would be showing everybody for fear of getting robbed. Lol

dpoly1's avatardpoly1

IT GETS INTERESTINGER & INTERESTINGER!

Crazy

savagegoose's avatarsavagegoose

wow its a long drive from maryland to arizona,  safe drive home mystery man


plus he made a big mistake, he didnt sign the back of it, the moment he won.

Ronnie316

Perhaps he was visiting the casino near Fountain Hills and stopped for a sandwich and a QP?

RJOh's avatarRJOh

It will be interesting to see what guy who shows up in Arizona with winning ticket looks like.

savagegoose's avatarsavagegoose

6% tax on non residents. for arizona. he may want to move lol theres a 1.92M difference in state taxes. for him

Ronnie316

Quote: Originally posted by savagegoose on Nov 30, 2012

6% tax on non residents. for arizona. he may want to move lol theres a 1.92M difference in state taxes. for him

I think you have to have lived there for 6 months to be considered a resident.

VenomV12

This guy is lucky he is built like an NFL linebacker because handing that ticket to the clerk and the other people has got to be one of the stupidest and most dangerous things I have ever seen done. Just announcing it was dangerous enough. 

RedStang's avatarRedStang

He's not wearing a mcdonalds uniform so im pretty convinced he won something.

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