The "Powerball Billion Dollar Winner" is said to be "fake."
The true winner of the $1.08 billion "Ghetto" Powerball jackpot has yet to be announced, as an excited woman claiming to be the lucky player allegedly "faked the jackpot."
The real winner actually purchased the ticket at the Las Palmitas Mini Market in downtown Los Angeles, but is not believed to have danced at the market last Thursday, the day after the painting shop shooting The lady.
An Inside Edition reporter tried to interview the unidentified woman who was hugging a stranger and crying with joy, but she seemed too excited to speak.
"I can't even... I can't... I'm scared right now, I'm so scared," sobbed the woman wearing a baseball cap emblazoned with the psychedelic water logo. When asked if she was the winner, she nodded. Outside, she fell to the ground, waving her hands in the air, and drove off in a BMW.
"Want to be on TV"
The shop owner's granddaughter told the Daily Mail she believed the woman had faked the entire incident.
She didn't win - I don't know why she did. I guess she just wanted to be on TV," Sarai Palacios said. "We don't know who the winner is yet. They haven't reported back yet. "
The owner, Nabor Herrera, previously told another news outlet that he was suspicious of the woman because he didn't know her. The winner's true identity won't bother Herrera too much. He could still earn a million-dollar reward for selling tickets.
Shadow of Poverty
The ticket was sold on the edge of Skid Row, an area long notorious for poverty, homelessness, drugs and crime.
“In the shadow of ghetto poverty and despair, someone just won a billion dollars,” gushed the Los Angeles Times . The $1.08 billion price tag is the sixth-highest in U.S. history.
The winner can pay the entire amount over 30 years (minus 37% federal tax) or receive a one-time cash payment of $558.1 million (minus 37%). The good news is, California Lottery winnings are not subject to state tax.
Fill in the form
Meanwhile, lottery officials said the formal process of officially identifying the winner could take some time.
Anyone claiming to be a winner is invalid until we say so, lottery spokesperson Carolyn Becker said at a press conference outside the Las Palmitas mini-market on Thursday morning. ”
"The California Lottery will not know who the winner is until someone fills out and submits a claim form, which includes showing the winning ticket," Becker told The Independent on Wednesday.
Those who missed out on the Powerball jackpot can take solace in the fact that the Mega Millions jackpot has been increased to an estimated $910 million. This comes after there was no winner on Tuesday, not even a false winner.
Read also:
- Games Industry Research: Carbon Emissions of Top Video Games
- U.S. cities with the most Swifties per capita
- Blackjack Casino Advantage: How to Beat the Odds
- Football 101: What is relegation in football?
Source: www.casino.org
