Single Powerball Ticket Sold In NYC Wins $245 Million Jackpot
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Someone in the Big Apple could have woken up Sunday with 245 million reasons to smile.
The sole winning ticket for Saturday night's $245.6 million Powerball jackpot drawing was purchased at a Stop & Shop on Staten Island.
Lottery officials say the lucky numbers were from a Quick Pick ticket, meaning they were randomly generated by a computer at the store.
If you bought a ticket at the Stop & Shop at 2754 Hylan Blvd. in New Dorp, make sure to grab it to check and see if you're the big winner.
The winning numbers from Saturday's drawing are 05 43 56 62 68, powerball 24, powerplay x2.
The manager at the supermarket couldn't believe the golden ticket was sold at his store.
"No one notified me before I came in so I was like... what's going on here? Now it's exciting, feels good the store sold the winning ticket," said manager Larry DiAntonio. "Hopefully it's someone on Staten Island. I live on Staten Island, hopefully it's someone I know."
Local residents were equally intrigued by the idea of someone they possibly know winning a massive lottery.
"Nah, I cant believe it," New Dorp's fred Demant told CBS2's Clark Fouraker. "I'm in shock. He just told me, ya know."
"There's a store over there people usually go to. I've played over there, I've played here. That's great. I'm happy for them. I'm next!" Bob Brown added.
Montana Herrera works the lottery desk at the Stop & Shop. She said it was busier than usual Sunday morning.
"Most of the people that come here are regulars, so everyone is like 'who won? Do you know who won?'" Herrera said. "We'll see more in the afternoon, I think, when people start to wake up and check the news."
If the winner chooses to take the lump sum option, they'll be walking away with an estimated $147,844,558.62 after a 25 percent federal tax is applied in addition to state and city taxes. New York State does require the winner to come forward to claim their money, but some lawyers say winners can place their money in a trust which can be represented by an attorney. That way, the real winner can stay private.
Lottery players CBS2's Fouraker spoke with had differing opinions on how they'd spend the money.
"Pay off my house. Pay off my college debt. Pay off my kids' college debt -- and then travel," resident Linda Bond said.
A ticket winning a second prize of $1 million was also sold in Georgia.