Out of three Powerball winners , one has finally stepped forward to claim his share of the $448 million jackpot.
Paul White of Minnesota has been playing the lottery for years and says that his family has always made fun of him for it. But now that he has picked up a replica check for his third of one of the largest Powerball war chests in history… well… who’s laughing now?
“It’s crazy,” he said. “I’ve gone through this in my mind so many times. You almost feel like it’s coming true.”
White will get $86 million before Uncle Sam has his way with the winnings since White took the instant-cash option. If he would have taken long-term payments, his prize would have totaled $149 million.
The 45-year-old said that he’s planning on letting his parents pick out a house and car of their choice, and will help his sister who works in San Francisco with a charity.
He also said that his boss “is going to end the day as my chauffeur.”
At least two more Powerball winners are out there , both in New Jersey. Also, more than three dozen people got a million-dollar payout, having matched five of the winning numbers.
Those were : 5, 25, 30, 58 and 59, with the Powerball being 32.
It could be a while before we find out who the other winners are. New Jersey state law allows winners to wait a year before picking up their prizes, however, they will be unable to do so anonymously.
The jackpot will reset to an estimated $40 million on Saturday for the next drawing.
How close were you to being one of the Powerball winners?
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