SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The winner of November's record-high $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot was identified in California on Tuesday, the state lottery announced.
California Lottery Director Alva Johnson said the winner was a man named Edwin Castro, but released no other information about him, including his hometown.
Castro declined to appear at the press conference but sent a statement.
“As much as I am shocked and ecstatic to have won the Powerball drawing the real winner is the California Public School System," it said. "As someone who received the rewards of being educated in the California public education system, it’s gratifying to hear that as a result of my win the California School System greatly benefits as well.”
A law approved by voters in 1984 established the California Lottery to provide supplemental funding to the state's public schools.
The jackpot ticket was sold at Joe’s Service Center in Altadena, an unincorporated foothill community northeast of Los Angeles. For selling the winning ticket, business owner Joe Chahayed received a bonus of $1 million.
Officials are considering putting the winning ticket on display, Lottery Deputy Director Carolyn Becker said.
The jackpot grew to the staggering amount of $2.04 billion after more than three months without anyone coming up with all the right numbers for the top prize.
The winning numbers were selected Nov. 8 in Florida after a nearly 10-hour delay due to a problem processing sales data.