He recently bought the ticket at a local liquor store where he had been a regular customer.
At least that is what Wilson Samaan, manager of Sandy’s Deli-Liquor in San Luis Obispo, California, told NBC affiliate KSBY.
“That’s the winning ticket up there, he match[ed] one number and the price was $1 million,” Samaan said.
Samaan explained that this is the first time a large lottery prize has been won at the store, and he recalls the man scratching off the ticket right in front of him.
He was skeptical at first and sought confirmation from the manager.
He had assumed it was just a $100,000 win, but Samaan quickly confirmed that it was the $1 million jackpot.
“I’m saying, ‘No, bro. That is $1 million. “Congratulations, brother,’ so we gave each other a high five,” Samaan said.
The manager also went above and beyond to assist the longtime customer, offering to drive him to a California State Lottery office instead of having him mail in the ticket and claim form.
“I drove him to Fresno the next day, or Wednesday, because he said, ‘Do I want to send it in the mail?’ And I said, ‘That’s a million-dollar ticket. “No, I’ll drive you,” Samaan replied.
ASSESS AND VERIFY
However, the winner will have to wait a while before receiving the money.
The California State Lottery has a “thorough vetting process,” according to KSBY spokesperson Carolyn Becker.
This process can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months, and it includes an interview with the winner.
The background check and interview are used to determine whether a winner owes any money to the state and to confirm that they are the legitimate ticket holder.
“As you can imagine, we give away a lot of prize money at the CA Lottery, and we are happy to do it, but we want to make sure we are giving it to the right person,” Becker told me.
“We process over 10,000 winning claims a month, so that’s part of why it takes a little bit of time.”
During an interview with the news outlet, the man declined to be identified but stated that the amount was “life-changing”.
He also stated that he intends to make a down payment on a house, buy a car, and then save and invest the rest.
EXPERT’S ADVICE
This is a sensible approach, and according to some lottery experts, a critical first step the man should take, and most likely has already taken, is to consult with a lawyer and a financial planner.
“Winners typically want to have a plan for the money prior to claiming,” said Akshay Khanna, CEO of Jackpot.com.
“Oftentimes, they will create trusts or other legal entities to handle the money for tax or anonymity purposes.”
Unfortunately, the man’s identity will have to be revealed at some point during the process, as required by California law.
Depending on whether he takes a one-time lump-sum or annuity payment, he may see about half of his money disappear instantly due to taxes.
This month, several states still have unclaimed lottery tickets worth a lot of money.
Officials are still looking for the $344 million Mega Millions jackpot winner, for example.
A three-step warning was also issued for a $50,000 ticket purchased at an Indiana gas station.
