Somebody who likely lives in the Fresno area is in a much higher tax bracket as a new multimillionaire — and California's first-ever Powerball winner.
The $2 ticket, bought sometime Wednesday at the Fast 'N Easy store on Shields Avenue in east-central Fresno, was worth $213 million, state Lottery officials said.
After taxes, the lump sum totals $123.3 million, said Alex Traverso, a lottery spokesman in Sacramento.
That kind of money could buy a couple of F-16 fighter jets, maybe the Save Mart Center or a major resort hotel, or perhaps Edvard Munch's iconic painting, "The Scream." And there would still be a couple million left.
The lucky numbers were: 3, 23, 31, 34, and 47, with a Powerball number of 13.
At the Chevron convenience store where the ticket was sold, store owner Vikram Vohra was all smiles Thursday. He gets to collect $1 million because his store, which he co-owns with his brother, Vinny, sold the winning ticket. The new money will let them consider opening more stores — they already own 21 in Fresno — he said.
He said the winning ticket was sold by employee Lali Dhaliwal on Wednesday, but he doesn't know what time or who bought it. The store sold about 150 tickets Wednesday.
Vohra said the store at Shields and Armstrong avenues, which opened a little over three years, is his "lucky store."
A $2 scratcher reaped $20,000 for one customer, and Vohra has had another $10,000 winner and several earning thousands of dollars.
"We have never had so many winners at any of our other stores," he said.
Much of the store's customer base lives in the neighborhood, so he probably will recognize the winner.
Lottery officials showed up at the store about 8:30 p.m. Wednesday night. Vohra said he thought Dhaliwal was joking when he told him about the winning ticket.
It was the first time someone in California matched all six Powerball numbers since the game was introduced here in April. Up until then, Californians had to be satisfied with the state Lottery and the multi-state Mega Millions game.
"Californians would see these large Powerball jackpots in other states, wondering why we weren't in it," Traverso said.
Powerball is played in 43 states, the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands. Previously, one Californian won $3 million by matching five of six numbers, he said.
"This is what we have been waiting for for six months, and Fresno gets to be the spot for it," Traverso said.
About $6.46 million in tickets were sold in California for the Powerball jackpot since Saturday night.
The Fresno area winner is going to be stinking rich, but Wednesday's jackpot pales in comparison to the top 10 Powerball payouts, Traverso said.
The biggest Powerball win was $590.5 million, won by a Florida woman in May, according to the Powerball website. Wednesday's jackpot is the 30th largest for Powerball, and four of those were shared, the website said.
Thanks to Eugene for the tip.
Congrats to the winner! Congrats to the store owner and his "lucky" store.
Hoping for a single winner! singlewinnersinglewinnersinglewinner!
I call shenanigans on this one. That state wins entirely too much some how. Something is rigged up or something.
Lottery officials showed up at the store about 8:30 p.m. Wednesday night.
Wow...that was fast! Didn't know they reacted so quickly to a big JP, within 1/2 hr of draw the same night? Hmmm... I guess they went to pull the security video & stuff so they could plaster the winner's face across the TV if they take too long to come forward.
Looks like they have the results faster then we thought.
"After taxes, the lump sum totals $123.3 million, said Alex Traverso, a lottery spokesman in Sacramento."
This lottery official needs to check his facts before misleading the public. The annuity value was $213 million and the cash option is $123.3 million BEFORE any taxes are factored in. After the initial 25% Federal tax withholding the winner will receive about $92 million and will owe another $18 million in April, 2014 unless they come up with a plan to mitigate their taxes.
I was also surprised that the store had only sold about 150 tickets the day of the drawing...would have thought it would have been much higher considering I have witnessed at numerous locations individuals purchase 100 tickets just by themselves.
"Fast and Easy" store? It sounds like the name of another future scratcher game.
If only Pennsylvania could get our first Mega Millions Jackpot win since joining that game!
The lottery knows almost instantly how many winners there were, and in what state. It's just a big computer database, and can be searched as fast as Lottery Post can search -- which is fast.
Yeah, I understand all the database stuff, and that they know all the combos wagered before the draw, and post local lotto state winners within minutes.
I'm just surprized they actually had a person on standby ready to hop in a car and go to the winning store within 30 minutes? That's news to me.
That's true, that is pretty quick.
It is quick considering the closest lotto office is like 18 minutes from the store.
I guess with the State having its first PB winner since it joined in April- it has drivers hanging around HQ in the event it has a local winner, they can speed to the scene of the store and set up their cameras.
But that was fast.
Congratulation to the winner/s....
and Oklahoma
213 Million $$$$ soldN FresNo
Congrat'$>"CALIE" 4UR LUCKY 13 PB
At the Chevron convenience store where the ticket was sold, store owner Vikram Vohra was all smiles Thursday. He gets to collect $1 million because his store, which he co-owns with his brother, Vinny, sold the winning ticket.
I have not been paying attention to what states pay stores for selling the jp but I am sure California must have the biggest pay. Very nice!
Just 6 months in and won the Jackpot! The night California won 10-23-13 there was 113,114 winners from that state that won in all tiers of the game, including the big Jackpot winner. Now last night there was only 44,521 winners from that state in all tiers of the game. I Guess since it was won on Wednesday night, not many players was willing to play powerball last night in California! Go to Powerball.com and click on winners by break down to see all winners total from each state! Have a nice Day!!
Chevron
needs to buy more at gas stations
Maybe the store owner will give all the "lowly" employees at that store, an early Xmas bonus of $20,000.00 each. Most people that work for gas stations, appear not to have a lot of money. Let's hope the owner is not a tightwad.
Congrats to the lucky winner.
Cali pays 0.5% of Jackpot to the store. Other more mature lotteries on the East coast have figured out that you don't need to pay the store that much and put a cap on it.
Who and what activity is that bonus incentivizing? It's a bit misplaced.
If he gave his employees of that store a few thousand Xmas bonus, that would be appropriate.
Giving a $20,000 Xmas bonus to each employee might be a little over the top but I don't see anything wrong with giving them a few thousand each.
Wow! Congratulations to the California's first Powerball winner! If there's only one winner, he is extremely lucky to have a huge amount of jackpot prize! Was he able to claim his prize already?
LUCKY 13.