Yanira Álvarez, a California player, recently made headlines after winning the staggering US$1,080 million Powerball jackpot from the drawing on July 19, 2023. The lucky woman matched all the numbers on the United States lottery balls and became an overnight millionaire, although her identity was only revealed eight months later.
The winning numbers that changed Yanira Álvarez’s life were 7 – 10 – 11 – 12 – 24, with the red Powerball number being 24. She opted to receive the full prize in a single payment of 558.1 million dollars, after taxes and donations were deducted. The ticket was purchased at Las Palmitas Mini Market in Los Angeles, California, owned by Maria Menjivar.
Despite her newfound wealth, Álvarez chose to keep a low profile and declined to make any statements to the lottery or the media. The Powerball jackpot had been building up over 39 drawings, reaching the seventh-largest figure in the history of all games in the United States.
The California Lottery Director, Harjinder K. Shergill Chima, expressed gratitude to the players for supporting California public schools through their participation in the lottery. Powerball, a multinational lottery originating in the US in 1988, offers players the chance to select five main numbers from 1 to 69 and an additional Powerball number from 1 to 26.
The legal process to verify and accredit the winner of a lottery like Powerball can take weeks or months, as all avenues must be explored to authenticate the lucky winner. Despite the excitement surrounding winning a lottery prize, some states allow winners to claim their prizes anonymously under certain conditions.
In the US, each state has the authority to organize its own lotteries, ranging from multi-state lotteries like Powerball and Mega Millions to local lotteries specific to certain cities or counties. With the possibility of life-changing prizes, participating in lotteries remains a popular pastime for many Americans.