A Tennessee couple went on the Today Show Friday morning and claimed to be a victor of the historic $1.6 billion Powerball jackpot.
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They bought four tickets at a local market on their way home before the drawing Wednesday night. He bought four quick-pick tickets, one for each family member. It was the computer, however, that chose the winning numbers of 04, 08, 19, 27, 34 and Powerball 10. “You just can’t sit down and lay down and not do nothing anymore”, said John Robinson. She stayed up to watch the Wednesday night drawing, carefully writing down the numbers.
“We’re not guaranteed tomorrow”, Robinson said of the decision to take the money all at once, rather than over time, which would pay more in the long term. “Now we’re real grateful we got the big piece of the pie”.
Asked what they would do with the windfall, Lisa Robinson said that aside from paying off a loan, they hadn’t had time.
“All these years, I’ve wondered what it would be like to call my mom and tell her I won the lottery”, he said.
John announced that the family will opt for a lump sum payment for their winning, which Lottery Finance Director Andy Davis said amounts to $327.8 million – $327,835,077 to be exact.
His potential winning ticket has not yet been verified by Tennessee lottery officials, but news outlets have reported that one of the winners was sold at Naifeh’s in Munford along with one each in Florida and California.
The owners of the first of three Powerball jackpot winning tickets have been publicly confirmed as John and Lisa Robinson. “I knew I wanted to get an accountant”.
Angel told lottery officials that numerous group were always helping other people and that she’s thrilled this happened to them. “I was running down the hallway screaming and crying”, she said.
Some took selfies with the store clerk on duty, who became an instant celebrity and may well have been the man who sold the ticket after being on duty for much of the run-up to Wednesday night’s drawing.
The Wawa store gets US$2500 ($38,000) for selling the winning ticket.
“Your’e holding a ticket that could be worth north of $500 million (in United States currency) in your pocket, you’re walking around New York City …” Lottery officials stated that no one has come forward to claim the prize. The first victor showed up early Thursday to claim her $1 million prize – Linda Windey, who works in Walton, Ky.
Josh Nass, a spokesman for Brius Healthcare, called news media Thursday to relay the story of a nurse in Pomona, California, winning a share of the jackpot after owner Shlomo Rechnitz bought tickets for his employees.
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According to Walker, he had never purchased a lottery ticket before. Under the state’s lottery policy, a person’s name, home state and home town are a matter of public record.
