Sole Winning $429 Million Powerball Ticket Sold In New Jersey
TRENTON, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Someone is holding onto the sole winning Powerball ticket that was sold in New Jersey and is worth $429.6 million, lottery officials said Sunday.
Only one ticket matched all six numbers in Saturday night's drawing, said Powerball spokeswoman Kelly Cripe. The winning Powerball numbers were 5-25-26-44-66 and the Powerball number was 9.
Lottery officials in New Jersey said early Sunday that the winning ticket was sold in at a 7-Eleven in Trenton at 750 Chambers St.
"Winning the Powerball jackpot is a life-changing event. Congratulations to the ticketholder(s) and to the retailer who sold it," New Jersey Lottery executive director Carole Hedinger said in a statement. "The winner and the retailer that sold this $429.6 million winning ticket will be added to the national Lottery historical record. This is the seventh largest Powerball jackpot in history. We expect that the winner or winners will take their time before claiming the prize and consult with the appropriate professionals that can assist them in navigating these unchartered waters. Certainly though, we will be anxiously awaiting the phone call."
The jackpot is the seventh-largest in Powerball jackpot history, WCBS 880's Kelly Waldron reported.
The jackpot Saturday had climbed to nearly $430 million, making the prize the largest since a record $1.6 billion payout in January that prompted some to wait in hours-long lines outside lottery retailers. But unlike Saturday night's drawing, that jackpot was shared by three winning tickets.
Only one winning ticket will claim Saturday night's prize, though it was not immediately known if that ticket was held by one or more people. Kripe said a winner, or co-winners, electing a one-time cash payout will receive $284 .1 million.
Luis Sandoval still can't believe he's the one who sold the winning ticket, CBS2's Brian Conybeare reported.
"Even though I'm not getting nothing, I'm happy," he said.
Sandoval has worked at the 7-Eleven for two years, and suddenly he's very popular with customers hoping for some of that multi-million dollar luck.
"A lot of people are already saying, 'I want you to do my lottery,'" he said.
Richard Arrington of Trenton said when he heard about the winning ticket, he just had to come to the same store for Wednesday's $40 million drawing.
This is the largest single winning ticket in the history of the state of New Jersey.
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