A 69-year-old Kissimmee woman arrived in Tallahassee Thursday to claim the $182.1 million jackpot from the Feb. 26 Powerball drawing.
Ines Carvajal claimed the prize in the name of the Carvajal Family Group, and opted to take a lump-sum payment of $91,187,716.61, before taxes.
Her jackpot is the second-largest lottery prize ever won in Florida, behind the $189 million jackpot won in October 2009 by Dr. William A. Steele of Orlando.
Carvajal bought the winning Quick Pick ticket at the Publix at 2340 Fortune Road in Kissimmee.
But she didn't know right away that she had won, she told Florida Lottery officials.
She was at the Publix with her sister, who was buying a scratch-off ticket, when she remembered that she had not checked her Powerball tickets, Lottery spokeswoman Shelly Safford said.
"Carvajal could not believe it when she found out that she held the jackpot-winning ticket," Safford said. She told Lottery officials she plans to share her winnings with her family.
The store received $65,000 for selling the ticket.
Carvajal is the fourth jackpot winner in Florida since the game launched in the state in January 2009.
Carvajal, who could not be reached for comment, declined to let Lottery officials take her photo.
Public records show she has lived in Kissimmee for more than 10 years and previously lived in Brooklyn, N.Y.
Congrats to ms. Carvajal, enjoy your good fortune.
Sounds perfect!
The store was rewarded $65,000 for selling the jackpot winner. Now thats more like it.
I wish well the former New Yorker. Let this money bring her and those close to her joy and happiness.
Way to Go! If someone else is going to win it, I'm glad to see that it was won from one of the few states that doesn't tax lottery prizes!!
Has anyone else noticed that jackpot are only won after it hits a certainamount. I have been ploing the same set of 5 tickets for 6 years and have yet to win( with powerplay) that's why I believe the lottery commission can determine when and what numbers can be picked.why can't a jackpot be won at 20 million right after jackpot was won.with all the people and combinations that are played and the jackpot always increases without a winner baffels me. Anyone else agree.
Maybe she would like to meet a 57 year old man!
Just kidding .................. I will be the first Mega Millions Jackpot winner from PA !!!!!!!!!!!
Unless I don't win .......................................................
Congrats!!! Waiting on my lucky day in the not to distant future!!!
Having watched powerball drawings for decades, there are many times when a large jackpot is won and the next drawing or the one after also produces a winner.
It's interesting that they are researching her back 10 years or more. Does this mean that your whole history is public domain? Why did they go back that far to get information? Is it just because she turned down the photo op?
Well hopefully my numbers come out Saturday.
I think more people wait to play until the jackpot gets larger. I play the same five picks each drawing and add a few more and more the higher it gets.
Though I wouldn't complain but it would kinda suck if you won the starting jackpot after a big one was won, kinda a slap in the face LOL
Yep, unfortunately all you need is someone's name and city, pay 5 or 10 bucks online and you pretty much got anyones life history through public records i.e utility bills, property deeds etc.
I thought the winner had to have there picture taken ?????
Lottery official do they put xxxx amount of money in your bank acct the following day ?
Not exactly true, people have won the drawing right after a winner and there's been times where there's 3 jackpot winners in a month (and others where there's one jackpot winner in three months). Many people just don't play when the jackpot is so low so that's why there's never a lot of winners 1-2 draws after the winning ticket.
Playing 5 tickets each drawing for 6 years isn't even scratching the surface of the possible combinations, there are still millions upon millions left that could come up before you could win. It's not the lottery not letting you win, it's just luck hasn't hit.
that's the way it goes,69 years old,wow weeeee luck smile on her...
congrats to the Carvajal family......
Congratulations to her!