CALIFORNIA — It was the year of the billionaire in the Golden State, where one lucky lottery player set an all-time record, collecting a $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot win.
This year, the largest Powerball jackpot in history was claimed in 2023 by Altadena resident Edwin Castro. Though Castro’s $2.04 billion Powerball ticket was sold in 2022, Castro claimed his winnings after a thorough California Lottery vetting process in February.
But he wasn’t the state’s only overnight billionaire in California. In July, a $1 billion Powerball jackpot-winning ticket was sold in Los Angeles at Las Palmitas Mini Market. And in October, the second-biggest jackpot in U.S. lottery history went to a Powerball winner who purchased their ticket in Frazier Park, in Kern County. Authorities have yet to the confirm winners for those epic jackpots.
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In 2023, the big winners played Powerball, SuperLotto Plus, or MegaMillions, according to results posted by California Lottery. Multiple millionaires were also made playing Scratchers, the game where you uncover matching prizes to typically take home a free ticket or a few bucks. A handful of those Scratchers earned players up to $5 million a pop, with one getting the big prize of $20 million.
A common thread among all winners was “shock and joy,” according to the CA Lottery spokesperson Caroline Becker.
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Here’s a month-by-month look at the biggest winners in the 2023 Lottery.
JANUARY
San Jose area resident and faithful lottery player Edward Lojewski brought home a whopping $247 million from a Mega Millions drawing. His ticket was purchased using a quick-pick at his favorite 7-Eleven, located at 1413 Kooser Road in San Jose.
“I watched the news and saw the winning retailer and knew that was where I bought my tickets,” Lojewski told the CA Lottery. “As soon as I saw I matched the first two numbers, I knew I won.”
That month, Scratchers tickets were lucky for several Californians.
Mary Higelin won $20 million on a Set For Life Scratchers ticket purchased in Norco at CN Liquor on Hamner Avenue.
Hers is the biggest prize anyone can win on a Scratchers game, and she is only the 4th person in California’s lottery history to win that much from a Scratchers, according to the CA Lottery.
Roberto Nunes took home $10 million on a $10 million Titanium Black Scratchers ticket, bought in Sherman Oaks at Fulton Square Liquor, as did Louis Farillas on the same type of Scratchers purchased in San Pedro at South Pacific Market. Nunes opted for the annuity option to receive his winnings, and will get an annual check for $400,000 a year for the next 25 years, according to the CA Lottery.
FEBRUARY
A Powerball billionaire was made in February when Edwin Castro claimed the $2.04 billion prize. It took a while for Castro to come out of the woodwork and claim the vast sum of cash. He purchased his winning ticket at Joe’s Service Center in Altadena in November of 2021. Castro released a statement saying he was “shocked and ecstatic to have won, but that the real winner is the California public school system.” Joe’s Service Center also fared well, bringing home over $1 million for the sale.
Also in February, a $5 million prize was awarded to Jose Sanchez when he scratched his way to $5 million on a 2023 ticket purchased at Bait Barn on Yosemite Boulevard in Waterford. Though Sanchez remained quiet on the winnings, Avtar Sra, Bait Barn’s owner, hopes the win will “lure more into the store for business” as they fish at Don Pedro and Turlock Lakes. Bait Barn received $25,000 for the winning ticket.
Eduardo Pingquian bought a $5,000,000 Extreme Cash Scratchers in Kern County, earning the top prize of $5 million that month. He purchased the lucky winner at Fastrip on Cecil Avenue, in Delano, also in Kern County, according to the CA Lottery.
MARCH
In March, Santa Monica area resident Paul Coggins scratched his way to $5 million, winning his 2023 prize at M & A Tobacco. Walter Amaya was also $5 million richer after buying a 100X Scratchers at Famous Ed’s Liquor in El Monte. Storeowner Brian Hanna says that this is the “biggest ticket we’ve sold so far.”
Both stores received $25,000 for selling the tickets, according to the CA Lottery.
APRIL
The month of April saw more $5 million Scratchers winners.
Alec Bucur purchased a Millionaire Bucks ticket at a Chevron station in Irvine, winning $5 million. He has tried for years to buy the fifth ticket in a pack, and eventually won on the third row. “I was just gunning for it, and now I’m a multimillionaire,” he told the CA Lottery. “I don’t need a ferrari. I don’t need a mansion. I’m not a spender. I’m going to do some traveling and let this money grow.”
Lenora Watson also won $5 million on a $5,000,000 Extreme Scratchers that month.
MAY
Scratchers were again lucky in May, with multiple $5 million winners. Lucia Forseth of Pittsburg in Contra Costa County won $5 million on a 2023 ticket sold at a Walmart Supercenter. Forseth said she was homeless in 2017. “This year I am getting married, getting my associate degree, and won $5 million,” she said. “You never think you have a chance to win it, it’s just random. Being homeless just six years ago, I never thought it would happen to someone like me.”
Forseth planned to buy a house and invest the rest of her newfound fortune.
Another lucky winner, Luis Castaneda Esparza, purchased his Year of Fortune ticket in Brea at a Chevron station. The same week, Batlazar Hernandez-Jimenez purchased a Neon Cash Party ticket at a San Leandro 7-Eleven.
“Both players matched the same number, 36, on their Scratchers tickets to win their $5 million prizes,” a lottery spokesperson said.
JUNE
June was a lucky month for Californian Pamela Adelamini, who scratched her way to $5 million on a Premier 7s ticket, a Scratchers that cost $20 to play. She purchased her ticket at a Stevenson Ranch Ralph’s grocery store, according to the CA lottery.
JULY
In July, Lilia Gharbian purchased and scratched her way to $5 million on a Millionaire Bucks Scratcher. She purchased the $20 ticket at the Liquor Mart in Pasadena, according to the CA lottery.
AUGUST
August saw another major winner in a Set For Life Scratcher. Daly City resident John Garcia pooled his money with another player and won $20 million, according to the CA Lottery. The lucky ticket was sold at Westlake Arco on Southgate Avenue.
SEPTEMBER
September was rare for the CA Lottery in California, with no major winners over $5 million in the Golden State that month.
OCTOBER
Things picked up again in October when M. Shadoian picked all five SuperLotto Plus numbers to win $82 million in Victorville.
That month, Alejandra Mendoza bought a 100X Scratchers ticket that won her $5 million in Pomona.
A Lancaster resident purchased a Scratchers Premier 7s ticket, as Robert Linn scratched his way to $5 million.
Another winning Scratchers ticket, this time a California 200X ticket, earned Brent Young $10 million. Young purchased his ticket at Prince Food & Gas in Visalia.
NOVEMBER
November of 2023 saw three more millionaires made. That month, Anaheim area Raul Reyes Arreola won $20 million on a Set For Life Scratchers ticket. Another Anaheim area ticket was sold to Daniel Peramaki who scratched his way to $5 million on a Neon Cash Party ticket purchased at Star Liquor on South State College Boulevard.
“I thought, ‘no way!’ I honestly thought I scratched it wrong,” he told the CA Lottery of his winning ticket, where he scratched the $5 million prize on the last square. “I was in shock for probably a whole day and I didn’t sleep that night.” He took a lump sum of $2.9 million, which is “life changing,” he said.
Further north, in Cambria, Clyde Stokely won $5 million on a 100X Scratchers ticket purchased at the Cambria General Store, according to the CA Lottery.
Stokely makes the most of his scratchers, first only scratching for a matching number, then checking the prize value, he told the CA Lottery. “It’s just a funny thing to do, a quirky way that adds suspense,” he said. “It just happened to be my lucky day.”
Cheryl Nolan of Valencia also won $5 million in November. She purchased a Premier 7s Scratchers ticket at the McBean Parkway Ralph’s Grocery Store, which took $25,000 for selling the ticket.
DECEMBER
Two winning tickets shared a $394 Mega Millions prize on December 8, when purchased at the same Encino gas station, CA Lottery reported. Both tickets were sold at a Chevron station located at 18081 Ventura Boulevard in Encino, and the matching numbers were 21, 26, 53, 66, 70 and 13.
“The only two jackpot winning tickets were sold at the same Chevron station,” unprecedented for a jackpot of this size, said Carolyn Becker. The California Lottery won’t reveal whether the ticket was purchased by the same player or by two players to protect the integrity of the security review process once there’s a prize claim.
“That’s one of the questions our law enforcement team will ask anyone who comes forward,” Becker said. “Only legitimate winners know the answers to some of our most important questions during the standard vetting process. It’s one of the ways we determine that the person who claims the prize is, in fact, the rightful winner.”
Read for more information on what happens when someone hits a jackpot in California.
More winners bought Scratchers tickets in December, earning a prize of $20 million. Durwin Hickman, a skycap at a Bay Area airport bought a $30 Set For Life Scratchers while on his break. “My whole thing is, I wanted to buy my wife a house,” he told the CA Lottery. Now, he can do that and more as he is still “flying high” on uncovering the word “LIFE,” meaning he’d won the top prize.
Two more tickets worth $5 million were sold in California in December.
Eric Hotzman and Matoux De La Croix went in together to scratch off the grand prize in a Premier 7s ticket. They bought their lucky ticket at the CVS Pharmacy in Porter Ranch.
Theresa Martinez won her $5 million on a 100X Scratchers ticket, purchased at Golden Eagle Gas in Morgan Hill.
Both businesses will also win, earning $25,000 each.
How Much Do The Schools Get?
With all the jackpots came money for the Golden State’s schools.
In 2023, the California Lottery generated nearly $2.07 billion to benefit public education in California. The sale of lottery products associated with the $2.04 billion jackpot sequence raised a record-breaking $156.3 million for public education in California all on its own, according to lottery officials.
California Lottery’s Chief Financial Officer, Nicholas Buchen, discussed the record numbers for the Golden State’s public school districts.
“This exciting milestone, surpassing the $2 billion threshold for education, represents the dedication of the Lottery’s workforce committed to raising as much funding as possible for education,” Buchen said. “The numbers for the fiscal year 2022-23 are far from being finalized, but early indications show California will see higher contributions, as (ticket) sales could reach the once unimaginable threshold of $9 billion.”
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