NJ Powerball Winner Claims $222.6 Million Jackpot; Mega Millions Jackpot Still Unclaimed
A New Jersey Powerball player scored a $222 million jackpot, but a Mega Millions winner risks losing $1.13 billion by not claiming the prize.
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New Jersey lottery players have uncovered massive fortunes recently, and one of them came forward this week to claim their prize — while another lucky winner is taking their sweet time with theirs.
The winner of a $222.6 million Powerball jackpot has laid claim to their jackpot, but the clock is ticking on a $1.13 billion Mega Millions winner who may or may not realize they’re holding a winner.
New Jersey Lottery officials revealed Monday that the winning ticket from the June 10 drawing was a Quick Pick purchased at a convenience store in Lindenwold. The winner opted for the lump-sum cash, as opposed to the 20-year annuitized payment. This means he or she will take home $104.7 million before taxes.
The Powerball winner, whose identity remains a mystery, reportedly said they were “still trying to wrap their head around the win” when they visited the lottery headquarters to claim their prize. The individual did not have specific plans for their newfound fortune but shared an intriguing story about how they discovered their win.
According to lottery officials, the winner heard the jackpot being discussed on the radio and felt compelled to check their ticket, leading to the “surprise of a lifetime.” They immediately called a friend to share the news.
Tejinder Singh and Rajvinder Kaur Ghotra, the owners of the convenience store, were awarded $30,000 on June 11 by New Jersey Lottery officials for selling the winning ticket. The husband-and-wife duo plan to use the bonus money to travel.
A New Jersey law ensures lottery winners can keep their identities a secret. This means their names won’t be released to the public, unlike in some states. They do need to show ID to claim a prize if it’s worth $600 or more, but lottery winner identities are specifically excluded from public record despite the state’s Open Public Records Act allowing access to some information.
Mega Millions win could become Mega loss
While the Powerball jackpot has been claimed, the New Jersey Lottery announced that the $1.13 billion Mega Millions jackpot from March 26 still hasn’t been claimed. This prize, the largest ever won in New Jersey and the ninth largest in American lottery history, was sold at the Neptune Township ShopRite on Route 66. The Rt. 66 Saker ShopRite received $30,000 for selling the historic ticket.
The ticket matched all six numbers: 7, 11, 22, 29, 38, and the gold Mega Ball 4.
Despite the enormity of the prize, no one has yet come forward to claim it. The New Jersey Lottery is urging everyone to check their tickets and is sending out media blasts to try to get the winner to come forward.
The eventual claimant of the $1.13 billion prize could join the ranks of the wealthiest lottery winners in history, provided they come forward within the stipulated time frame. Until then, the ticket remains a tantalizing mystery in the annals of New Jersey’s lottery history.
However, there’s still plenty of time for the winner to come forward. New Jersey law allows one year from the time the jackpot hits before the claim period expires. That leaves approximately another eight months.
It’s not uncommon for lottery winners to take their time before presenting their claim. This is especially true when the prize is as large as it was in the Mega Millions draw. There are a lot of legal considerations, as well as a plan for how to accept the prize, that the winner will want to figure out before receiving the check.
If the winner chooses the lump sum in this case, the prize would be worth $537.5 million.
