It’s not for nothing they call it the Golden State.
California has revealed a $1 billion Powerball winner for the second time this month, with the lottery’s current jackpot prize inching closer to the coveted 10-digit value.
Yanira Alvarez bought a $1.08 billion Powerball jackpot ticket at Las Palmitas Mini Market in Los Angeles for the July 19, 2023 drawing.
Alvarez’s winning numbers were 7, 10, 11, 13, 24 and a red Powerball 24.
Her stunning win last July ended a streak of 39 Powerball jackpots and was sold in California in reference to Theodorus “Theo” Struck’s historic win. It was the first of two consecutive $1 billion winning tickets, the state lottery announced.
California law requires jackpot winners to list their name along with their location.
Alvarez declined to publicly comment on the announcement.
Before Alvarez’s identity was revealed, the owners of Las Palmitas Mini Market believed the winner was an elderly woman who lived near the store.
“It’s a Hispanic woman, an old woman,” Angelica Menjivar, the store manager’s stepdaughter, told the Post. She is “100% Latina.”
This unassuming store is located in the fashion district of downtown Los Angeles and has been owned by Maria Menjiva and her family since 2017.
Mr. Alvarez, whose age was not immediately disclosed, had the option of receiving the $1.08 billion in more than 30 annual payments or a one-time cash payment.
She opted for a one-time payment worth $558.1, excluding federal taxes.
“We cannot thank our players enough for helping support California’s public schools,” said California Lottery Director Harjinder K. Shergill Chima. “Our mission is what drives us every day, and our jackpot prizes not only change the lives of our big winners, but also make important changes in the lives of students and teachers in classrooms across the state. ”
Her win was the third-largest prize in the history of the game at the time of the drawing.
The total prize pool of $1.08 billion currently ranks fourth on the record list since Strück hit the jackpot with a $1.765 billion payout in October, according to Powerball.
On March 15, after tickets went on sale at Midway Market & Liquor in Frazier Park, California, Strzok was announced as the lead claimant.
The two stores are approximately 131 miles from each other.
The California Lottery uses the proceeds from its drawings to raise funds for the state’s public schools.
“A series of huge jackpots last year brought an estimated $197.9 million in additional funding to schools.”
Both wins still fall short of fellow politician Edwin Castro’s historic $2.04 billion win in November 2022.
Golden State has won at least four shares of the largest Powerball jackpot wins in lottery history.
In 2016, three tickets from California, Florida, and Texas matched all six numbers and won $1.586 billion, the first prize of more than $1 billion at the time.
The Powerball prize is estimated at $935 million, with a cash value set at $452.5 million.
The next draw will be Saturday at 11 p.m.
