Winner Of $315 Million Powerball Jackpot: 'My Heart Was Just Beating, Beating, Beating'
TRENTON, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) — The winner of a $315 million Powerball jackpot revealed himself at the New Jersey Lottery headquarters Friday in Lawrenceville.
Tayeb Souami, a Little Ferry, New Jersey resident, stepped forward to claim the prize. "I'm very emotional right now," Souami told reporters pointing to his ceremonial check, " I like the number."
Souami, an accountant, holds the lone winning ticket for the May 19 drawing.
He found out he was the lucky winner the following Sunday morning when he stopped at a 7/11 on his way to get a car wash.
"Oh my God!" The cashier said after he handed her the ticket to check. "My heart was just beating, beating, beating…" Souami emotionally explained. "It took me two hours to fill out the form, because my hand was still shaking."
Souami bought the ticket at a ShopRite grocery store in Hackensack, when he went to return orange juice that his wife complained he paid too much for. The ticket matched all five white balls and the Powerball to win the jackpot, which has a $183.2 million cash value.
Souami, who is originally from Africa, came to this country in 1996. Souami, who has two children, says his first priority is to pay for his children's college education. He had just refinanced his home to cover the costs.
The jackpot is the third largest in state history. A Vernon man won a $533 million Mega Millions jackpot in March.
(© Copyright 2018 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)