- Only once in the history of the game did Powerball reach a $2 billion grand prize. Mega Millions has yet to achieve this.
- Powerball and Mega Millions lottery jackpots have reached $1 billion nine times in the history of the games.
- Joe's Service Center in Altadena, California, sold the winning ticket for the $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot and got a $1 million bonus.
- California Lottery director Alva Johnson announced Castro's win on Valentine's Day, Feb. 14, 2023, in Sacramento, California.
A year ago, Edwin Castro became an overnight (almost) billionaire.
Who is Edwin Castro? He holds the record for winning the biggest jackpot in U.S. history, a whopping $2.04 billion prize.
The 31-year-old from Altadena, California, became an overnight multimillionaire − he missed the title of billionaire by less than $3 million − after his lottery ticket matched all five numbers plus the Powerball in the Nov. 7, 2022, record drawing for what was then a $1.9 billion prize. Final ticket sales pushed the grand total to $2.04 billion.
After months of vetting through the California Lottery, Castro officially claimed his grand prize on Valentine's Day, Feb. 14, 2023. Since then, Castro has purchased three homes in his home state of California along with several vintage cars, including two Porsches almost a year after the drawing, news reports show.
Here's what we know about Edwin Castro.
Who is Edwin Castro, $2.04 billion Powerball lottery winner?
Edwin Castro of Altadena, California, is the sole winner of the $2.04 billion Powerball drawing on *Nov. 7, 2022. Edwin Castro won the largest-ever lottery jackpot, and he opted for a lump sum of $997.6 million, just shy of $1 billion, according to the California Lottery. After taxes, Castro walked away with $628.5 million, USA TODAY reported.
Though he declined to appear publicly when he claimed the grand prize two months after the drawing, Castro complimented California public schools "as the real winner" and said in a written statement he was shocked and ecstatic.
In California, lottery winners' identities are public record.
California Lottery director Alva Johnson announced Castro's win on Valentine's Day, Feb. 14, 2023, in Sacramento, Calif.
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Who won $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot?
After months of rollovers, the Nov. 7, 2022, Powerball drawing ballooned to a whopping $2.04 billion. The jackpot was an estimated $1.9 billion days before the drawing, but lottery ticket sales pushed it to more than $2 billion after updated calculations. The drawings had rolled over 40 times since Aug. 3, 2022. Edwin Castro finally won the lottery with thesewinning numbers: 10-33-41-47-56 and the Powerball was 10.
Did something weird happen with $2.04 billion Powerball lottery drawing?
Because of the intense interest in the $2 billion prize, there was a delay in the drawing for almost 10 hours. Powerball drawings are normally at 11 p.m. EST Mondays, Wednesdays and Saturdays. *Nov. 7, 2022, was a Monday, and the drawing didn't occur until the next morning.
According to Powerball, the delay was due to "a participating lottery needing more time to complete the required security protocols."
The highly anticipated drawing was delayedbecause a participating lottery was still processing its sales and play data,the Multi-State Lottery Association said. It's not clear which lottery was affected.Powerball officials said they have "strict security requirements" that 48 participating lotteries must meet before a drawing can occur.
As soon as the required procedures were completed by the one outstanding lottery, the drawing proceeded just before 9 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022.
Who sold winning $2.04 billion Powerball ticket in California?
Even though the $2.04 billion Powerball drawing was delayed, it didn't take long for the California Lottery system to announce Joe's Service Center, a Mobil gas station, in Altadena, California, near Los Angeles, sold the winning ticket.The identity of the lottery retailer was released a day after the drawing.
In a press conference, owner Joe Chahayed Jr. said he wanted to share the money with his 11 grandchildren. Chahayed and his his son, Joe Chahayed Jr., posed for pictures outside Joe's Service Center. Retailers typically get a small piece of the grand prize, but because lottery ticket sales pushed the Powerball jackpot well over $2 billion, the bonus prize grew, too. The California Lottery awarded Chahayed a $1 million bonus for selling the winning ticket.
"We want to thank all of our community members that always come that are dedicated to this station," Chahayed said at the Nov. 9, 2022, news conference."They truly believe in luck and they truly believe that some things are just deserved to be."
Since the historic lottery win, Joe's Service Center in California has had a taste of celebrity, too. News reports show people have touched a Joe's Service Center window sign for good luck.
In addition to the grand prize, 22 tickets worth $1 million matched all five numbers except the Powerball in 16 states, Powerball officials said.
What were the winning Powerball numbers for $2.04 billion drawing?
In an odd coincidence, one of the winning numbers matched the Powerball in the $2.04 billion drawing. The Nov. 7, 2022, winning Powerball numbers were 10-33-41-47-56 and the Powerball was 10.
Where did Edwin Castro go to high school?
In March 2023, TMZ reported Castro was once a Boy Scout, rising to the rank of Eagle Scout, and a prominent athlete at Crescenta Valley High School in La Crescenta, California. The TMZ story said Castro played football and baseball for Crescenta Valley and eventually studied architecture at Woodbury University in Burbank, California.
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What did $2.04 billion lottery winner do with his prize money?
Since his historic win, news reports show he has splurged, buying three multimillion-dollar homes in California and at least five vintage cars.
After Castro claimed his winnings as a one-time, lump sum payment on Valentine's Day, three months after the drawing, he bought a $25.5 million estate in Hollywood Hills on March 1, 2023. According to USA TODAY, the 13,500-square-footmansion sits on a 0.58-acre lot and features five bedrooms, sevenbathrooms, game room, wine cellar, movie theater, bar, spa and fitness studio. The main room is on the third floor and has its own balcony. Other amenities include a garage big enough to park seven cars.
Most of the house, which sports an outdoor infinitypool and fireplace, is made up ofglass walls, photos show. Nearby neighbors include Ariana Grande, Dakota Johnson and Jimmy Kimmel.
According to the New York Post, Castro purchased a second home in his hometown of Altadena, a $4 million mansion with views of the San Gabriel Mountains. Features of the 1953 Japanese-style home include a pool, movie theater, five bedrooms and four bathrooms, the New York Post reported. Castro was reportedly living in a one-bedroom home when he won the Powerball.
The New York Post said Castro also bought a vintage white Porsche for $250,000.
On Sept. 13, 2023, USA TODAY reported Castro bought a $47 million mansion in Los Angeles from celebrity realtor Mauricio Umansky. The seven-bedroom, 11-bathroom home has a koi pond and infinity pool, offering a panoramic view of the city. Other features include DJ turntables, a Champagne room, glass walkway, wine cellar and (like his other California homes), a home theater. The bedrooms have walk-in closets, oversized bathtubs and relaxing sitting areas, the USA TODAY story states.
A Nov. 6, 2023, story by the Daily Mail reports Castro recently added to his vintage car collection: The $2.04 billion Powerball lottery winner reportedly owns two vintage Porsches and three vintage Volkswagens. The Daily Mail states: "He currently owns a white Porsche 911 from the 1980s, a grey Ram 1500 TRX, and three Volkswagen Karmann Ghias, two black and one red. His latest purchase sees him adding a British racing green 1970s Porsche 356 and a black Porsche 1980s 911."
In addition to his luxury splurges, Castro has a round-the-clock security team.
$2.04 billion lottery winner was sued
State lotteries recommend players who believe they have a winning jackpot prize ticket sign the ticket, put it in a safe place, seek financial and legal advice, and contact their state lottery to make an appointment to claim the prize.
Winners also undergo a vetting process by their state lottery. California State Lottery has a “rigorous vetting process” to ensure that the person who says they’ve won is a legitimate winner, said spokesperson Carolyn Becker.
The vetting process can take weeks or months before a winner can be declared, according to Becker.
However, that didn't stop Edwin Castro from being sued by a man who claimed the winning lottery ticket was actually stolen.
On April 25, Jose Rivera claimed he bought the winning ticket on Nov. 7, 2022, hours before the Tuesday, Nov. 8, drawing. California Lottery officials backed Castro and its vetting process.
Contributing: Doc Louallen, N'dea Yancey-Bragg, Orlando Mayorquin, Mike Snider, Thao Nguyen, Claire Thornton, USA TODAY; Nate Chute, Austin American-Statesman
Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network-Florida. Follow her onTwitteror Instagram at@byjensangalang. Support local journalism.Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.
