A California lottery winner claimed he hasn’t received his $44 million prize despite winning the Powerball jackpot more than nine weeks ago. Jerry, who chose to withhold his last name, says the California State Lottery has yet to give him a timeline for receiving his winnings.
Orange Country winner waiting for $44 million payout
Jerry, who resides in Orange County, California, was a regular player of the lottery. He told ABC7:
“Fantasy 5, Powerball…Super Lotto, Mega…I play all the games.”
He opted to visit his neighborhood Ralphs in Orange County mere days before the August 19th Powerball draw.
Unusual Situation
Jerry played five of his favorite numbers for the August 19th drawing. All five — including the Powerball number he’d chosen — were winners.
However, getting your lottery winnings in California is quite the journey
Californian lottery winners can’t simply arrive at the California State Lottery office to collect their winnings. The Lottery office’s law enforcement team must first do a thorough investigation of their winners for any outstanding child support or unpaid taxes.
Jerry was in complete shock when he won
“It was exciting in a subtle way because you don’t anticipate ever hitting all six,” Jerry said. “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.”
However, that excitement quickly turned to stress when he realized how long it was going to take to collect his winnings.
It’s going to be a while
He described the process as “horrible,” adding that the communication from the State Lottery office is infrequent. “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…”
As unfortunate as it may seem, this is pretty standard
The standard wait to collect lottery winnings in California is allegedly 6-8 weeks, but that timeline is by no means a guarantee. Caroline Becker, who is with the California State Lottery, said the office processes thousands of claims a month.
Investigations take time
Embed from Getty Images“California Lottery processes, believe it or not, 10,000 plus claims a month, so we want to manage the expectations of our winners,” she told ABC7, while refusing to comment on Jerry’s case specifically.
So, how much is he going to get?
$44 million is nothing to scoff at, but Jerry won’t be collecting that full amount. The government will take 24% – 37% of his winnings, leaving him with a smaller, but no less life-changing, amount than previously assumed.
He can then choose how to collect his winnings
As with most lottery payouts, Jerry will have two options: take a lump sum, or annual payouts over 30 years. The lump sum might seem like a no brainer — however, for those who might need a bit more structure over their windfalls, the controlled payout is the better option.
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I know what I’d go for
The lump sum is the wiser option, as inflation will surely affect each yearly payout. Think about how far $5 got you 30 years ago vs now — it isn’t much, is it?
Here’s hoping Jerry gets his payout soon!
