A California resident who recently won the lottery claims he has not yet received his $44 million prize, even though more than nine weeks have passed since his Powerball win.
Jerry, who resides in Orange County, is a frequent lottery participant, regularly trying his luck with games like Fantasy 5, Powerball, Super Lotto, and Mega tickets.
“I play all the games,” he shared with ABC7.
On August 19, Jerry visited his local Ralphs to purchase lottery tickets for the Powerball drawing, using some of his preferred numbers.
What was unexpected, however, was the outcome. Jerry’s selection of five numbers, including the Powerball number 10, matched all the winning numbers in the draw.
“It was exciting in a really subtle way because you don’t anticipate ever hitting all six,” Jerry mentioned. “Six numbers on the Powerball is… the odds are you’ll die before.. You’ll walk out and get hit by lightning before you win that one.”
Naturally, Jerry was thrilled with the news of his $44 million win, however, he claims he has not yet seen any of the money.
Jerry described the experience of claiming a major lottery win as ‘horrible’, telling ABC7, “They won’t tell you by this date, you’ll get the funds. They won’t tell you that. They leave it open-ended so you’re sitting, waiting daily… (hoping you’re going to get these funds).”
Carolyn Becker, Deputy Director of Public Affairs and Communications at the California State Lottery, noted that a lengthy processing time is not uncommon.
Becker clarified that the quickest a winner might receive their prize is within four weeks, although this is rare.
Lottery officials aim to finalize each claim within six to eight weeks, but as seen with Jerry’s situation, delays can occur.
While California State Lottery did not specifically address Jerry’s situation, they explained that everyone claiming a prize must undergo a thorough verification process.
This process includes an investigation by the lottery’s law enforcement team and ensuring the claimant does not owe any state taxes or child support.
Becker elaborated, “California Lottery processes, believe it or not, 10,000 plus claims a month, so we want to manage the expectations of our winners.”
Although Jerry is uncertain about when he will receive his prize, he remains hopeful that he will be able to enjoy his winnings soon.