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You might think the hardest part of winning a $44 million lottery jackpot would be picking the winning numbers. However, a California man recently discovered the real challenge came after his big win — waiting to be paid out by the California Lottery.
After what felt like an eternity of red tape, the Orange County man was finally able to claim his life-changing prize. It may have taken him longer than expected, but he is now a millionaire.
Where it all got started
Back in August, Jerry, a California man, walked into his neighborhood Ralph’s and bought a ticket for Powerball. Jerry picked his own winning numbers for the ticket by using some of his favorite numbers.
Those favorites paid off, as he ended up matching all of the winning numbers for the August 19, 2024, drawing to win the $44 million jackpot. For reference, the winning white ball numbers for that night were 1, 2, 15, 23, and 28, and the Powerball number was 10.
Then the waiting began
Right after his big win, Jerry said he wasted no time in trying to get his money. As Lottery USA previously reported, Jerry put in a claim to the jackpot with the California Lottery.
While Jerry was quick with the claim, he said back in October that it had been nine weeks and he was still waiting for his payout.
Jerry did say at the time that he was a regular lottery player, but he wasn’t familiar with the claims process. According to an official with the California State Lottery, the quickest a winner would be paid from a large jackpot, like the $44 million jackpot that Jerry won, would be about four weeks. However, it doesn’t typically happen that fast.
The lottery representative said it usually takes six to eight weeks from the time the winner submits their claim to be paid out, if not longer. This process includes a vetting process, which has steps in order to see if the winner owes back taxes or child support.
The waiting is finally over
After almost 12 weeks of waiting for his money, Jerry told ABC7 Los Angeles that he was able to pick up his check about two weeks ago. He went for the lump-sum option when claiming his prize, so he got almost $17 million after taxes were withheld.
"I felt great but I was so stressed about it," Jerry told ABC7 Los Angeles. "I am thankful. I am going to be a millionaire for the rest of my life."
After receiving his winnings, Jerry said he quickly paid off his home and has started to make some improvements already. He also invested some of the winnings and shared some of the money with his family.
While he is happy he finally did get his money, he said he is still disappointed that the state took almost 12 weeks to pay him his winnings. Jerry is hoping other winners won’t have to wait as long as he did.
Enjoy playing the California Lottery, and please remember to play responsibly.
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