Arizona
Lottery officials said the person holding the winning ticket for Arizona's half
of the $587.5 million jackpot claimed his ticket Friday morning and is a
married man in his 30s living in Fountain Hills.
"He
and his wife couldn't believe it," lottery official Karen Bach said.
"They checked the numbers over and over again - absolutely shocked."
Officials
said the man, who wishes to remain anonymous, moved to Arizona from
Pennsylvania about a year ago.
He
bought the winning ticket on Nov. 28, the day of the drawing, at a Four Sons
convenience store near his home.
"He
said that he used to play Powerball on a regular basis in Pennsylvania,"
said Bach. "And, in Arizona, he's only played twice."
His
decision to spend $10 on Quick Pick Powerball tickets paid off.
Lottery
officials said the winner has chosen to take the $192 million cash option -
which works out to be about $134 million after taxes - and has already
assembled a team of legal and financial advisors.
They
said he should receive his money on Dec.14.
"He mentioned on several
occasions the importance the family was placing on being able to do good works
with in the community," said Arizona Lottery Executive Director Jeff Hatch
Miller. "To be able to support organizations, particularly non profit
organizations, that they were already contributing to in small ways – but, they
hope to contribute to in much larger ways now with this big powerball win."
The
record-breaking $587.5 million jackpot will be shared with the Powerball
jackpot winners from Missouri, Mark and Cindy Hill, who claimed their prize
Nov. 30.
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