California Liquor Store Sells Winning $1.765bn Powerball Ticket
The small town of Frazier Park in California was buzzing with excitement after it was revealed that the winning ticket for the massive $1.765bn Powerball jackpot was sold at a local liquor store. Midway Market & Liquor, located about 75 miles north of Los Angeles, became the center of attention following Wednesday night's drawing.
Nidal Khalil, co-owner of the store, expressed his joy, stating that this was the most thrilling news the town of Frazier Park had ever received. While the winner has yet to come forward, Khalil hopes it's one of the store's regulars, many of whom are local retirees.
The winning combination was 22, 24, 40, 52, 64 with a Powerball number of 10. In California, lottery winners are required to disclose their identity. For selling the winning ticket, Midway Market & Liquor will be awarded $1m.
Janea Herrera, a store clerk, was initially in disbelief upon hearing the news. She highlighted that the store, being located away from major highways, mostly serves local regulars. Describing Frazier Park, Herrera said it's a close-knit community where everyone knows each other and is characterized by its serene beauty and clear night skies.
This win comes after 35 consecutive Powerball drawings without a jackpot winner since the last win in July, where a Californian took home $1.08bn. The recent jackpot surpassed its initial estimate of $1.73bn, making it the second-largest lottery prize globally. The record for the largest prize is held by a $2.04bn Powerball jackpot won by a Californian in November of the previous year.
The Powerball's daunting odds of 1 in 292.2m are structured to produce such massive jackpots. The prize amounts have been growing considerably due to the infrequency of jackpot wins in recent months.