DANBURY, Ct. — So close to $254 million and yet so far away.
That could be the case for a 21-year-old Danbury customer who said he had the winning ticket for the Nov. 2 Powerball drawing — but lost it.
The $254 million prize was the biggest Powerball jackpot in Connecticut history and the 12th biggest jackpot in Powerball history.
At a 7-Eleven on Mill Plain Road, owner Abu Sayed said a 21-year-old customer claimed to have lost the winning ticket: 12-14-34-39-46, Powerball 36.
Sayed is skeptical.
"To get that money, his responsibility is to show the ticket. If he lost it, it is his fault," he said.
All lottery officials know is that the ticket was sold at a location in Fairfield County, and they want the buyer to step forward and end the mystery.
They've urged people to check their Powerball tickets, using messages on billboards and display screens at 2,700 retailers across the state.
At stake is a $254.2 million annuity paid over 29 years or a lump sum of nearly $152 million in cash.
The winner of that life-transforming amount has six months to claim the prize. If no one comes forward by April 30, the money will go back to the states that fed the pot.
Thanks to Steve for the tip.
ok here we go again..........
Sayed is skeptical.
"To get that money, his responsibility is to show the ticket. If he lost it, it is his fault," he said.
Whoever won probably got a tax attorney and the attorney told them to hold the ticket and not to cash it in until Jan 2012.
Jeepers - This is getting pretty wacky!! Hard 2 know what the heck is going on .....
Yikes, will the real winner please step forward.
I love the fact Connecticut Lottery is now putting up billboards all over the State trying to find the real winner. It must be driving them insane to finally have someone win such a huge jackpot and not be able to parade the winner in front of the media for all to see. Hopefully the true winner is taking this time to get their affairs in order before they claim the jackpot.
Yes...This is getting a little too wild ...Guess this is why CT. lottery does NOT tell you the exact location of the winning ticket....Well it is that time of year for the fruitcakes to come out...I wish we could fast forward this ,just to see who really is the winner..
If I had the winning ticket ................ there would be NO story like this!
I need the money too much to let it sit. I would have claimed the prize right away, with no news conference.
Of course, I would have a "hiding place" to escape the "Occupy Wall Street" & other Greed of Envy types!!!!!!!!!!
I like your thinkin'.
first off, that has got to be one dumbest attorney's
here why: as of right now, all money collected by state lottery in 1 account, waiting to be wired to someone
to that day comes, its sitting their collecting bank interest
now if you was to take cash, and have 100+ million in cash, just sitting their collecting bank interest, ya bet your missing out on TON of money.
it takes just 2 weeks for all states to get all pot money in 1 account the winning state holds, to be wired to jackpot winner.
so yes lottery winners. due take the time to get their affairs in order before they claim the jackpot. plz don't rush in day atfer you won. etc
however, atfer 2 weeks pass, its now time to claim, Now the present moment , not any sec later, Now. now now.
whoever this bloody idiot winner is,and he is a idiot money wise speaking , as of right now they are! , cease the winner is missing out on all that bank interest money on such a insane amount of money.
who ever tells you to take more then 2 weeks to claim, is telling you to lose Money, and should Never , Ever be trusted again with planing anything with your money for you.
sure the tax's are 25% up front, but he be paying 35% rate max on such a large amount of money, the other 10% rate come tax time, but that 10% he yet give to IRS, can earn him more free money via bank rates.
if someone really lost the ticket, omfg it was going to happen sooner or later. and now states will win their own jackpot game, and screw the players that builded it, just great.
whatever going on, state of Connecticut Lottery can afford to put up billboards all over the State , as of right now their making a killing with it just sitting their collecting free money for them.
i guess the patelbrothers are extending to a conversion of abu sayed...
Yeah I lost the 254 million dollar ticket to!...Because I never brought it!
Another mystery to solve.. OH MY !!! SURE HAS EVERYONE LOOKING , HE-HE-HE.. and the winner is ??
The payout would still be taxable in 2011, not 2012. The IRS rules are that income is taxable in the first year when it could be collected, not when it is actually received. If you hit the lottery in late December, they would not be able to pay you until January and it would not be taxable until then.
A good attorney would advise a client not to reveal themselves until the lottery could actually pay them the next day. And the winner should make plans to leave immediately to an undisclosed location for a while.