Amidst nationwide Powerball hysteria over the biggest jackpot in history, a Tennessee family has come forward with a ticket that is potentially one of the three winners from Wednesday’s colossal $1.6 billion Powerball drawing.
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John Robinson and his wife Lisa bought four tickets on Wednesday night at a grocery store in Mumford, Tenn.
Florida Lottery says Frederick Walker, 19, claimed a $2 million prize on Thursday, one day after the drawing for the record-setting $1.6 billion jackpot.
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.
Lottery officials confirmed one jackpot-winning ticket was sold at Balbir Atwal’s store located at Chino Hills in California.
Nursing home officials were not immediately available for comment. He said he knew he wanted to get a lawyer and an accountant.
“I didn’t believe it and then I looked at it carefully again”, Atwal said.
They appeared on the show with their daughter, Tiffany, as well as their attorney, Joe Townsend, and his daughter, Eileen, who is a reporter in Memphis and who contacted TODAY in hopes of helping the family reveal their winning ticket to the public.
“When I heard about the billion dollar Powerball jackpot, I made a decision to try my luck and buy a ticket”, said Walker.
Kathryn told lottery officials: “I still can’t breathe”.
“All these years, I’ve wondered what it would be like to call my mom and tell her I won the lottery”, he said. “We are from a small town and we are very private people”.
Munford mayor Dwayne Cole said he was first notified about the winning ticket’s origin at about 1 a.m. Thursday morning.
The big Powerball lottery draw had attracted plenty of ticket buyers across the country as many waited in line for a chance to dream of what they’d buy.
The ticket was purchased by John and Lisa Robinson, while John was on his way home from work.
Robinson said he stopped at Naifeh’s Wednesday night, went home, handed the ticket to his wife and went to lay down because he wasn’t feeling well. The other two winners are reported to be in California and Florida.
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Under the rules, a victor has up to a year to come forward.
