Zephyrhills Residents Abuzz Over Powerball Win
ZEPHYRHILLS (CBS4) - A tiny Florida town known for spring water and skydiving was abuzz with speculation on Sunday.
"The big question is who won? No one knows who won," said April Garcia.
Zephyrhills is now known for the one lucky Powerball lottery ticket.
"Oh my God it could have been me," said Patty Bickford.
Other residents were feeling jealous that the winning ticket was in their own backyard.
"Once in a lifetime that little Zephyrhills, the ticket is here," said Katy Perry.
Pretty much every person in Zephyrhills, with a population of about 13,000, is curious to find out who won.
"Everyone was Facebooking me, text messaging me, saying you have the winning ticket? I'm like no," said Perry.
The sole winning ticket was sold in the town's local Publix. Chris Mccain felt the good vibrations and took a chance with a scratch off game that day.
"The luck was here so I said let's go out and try it again," said McCain who won $50 from his ticket. "Better than nothing."
Nothing compared to the estimated $590.5 million dollar prize payout which is twelve times the amount of Zephyrhills yearly town budget of $49 million.
"I think they're really blessed and whoever it is probably did deserve the money," said Garcia.
Lottery officials still haven't said if the lucky winner has stepped forward but residents are hoping that they at least know someone, who knows someone, who knows the winner.
"Not sure who it is, hope it's someone I know," said Yolanda Hughes.
"You think this being such a small town you might know the person. Probably most likely I do know the person but haven't heard anything yet," said Garcia.
"I'm happy for whoever it is; I hope it's someone local," said Bickford.
The Publix that sold the winning ticket gets a commission of $85,000.
