A truck driver from Brooklyn came forward last Friday as the $298,000,000 Powerball winner from late-December. David Johnson scooped the second largest Powerball prize in New York Lottery history, several weeks after the draw took place.
The lucky winner affirmed that he was ‘… not going to work, I’m quitting straight away’ according to an interview he gave CNN affiliate WABC.
He matched all the winning numbers on the 26th December Powerball draw, 5, 25, 38, 52, and 67; plus the Powerball 24. He’s decided to take the cash option and will collect $114,000,000 before taxes.
Johnson says he’s so happy he can’t even eat, he’s so full up with joy. The lucky winner lives in Brooklyn and came to the US from Jamaica when he was 16. He works across the street from the gas station where he bought his ticket and despite a friend telling him that someone bought a ticket there and had won, he didn’t check the ticket right away.
It’s fantastic news and Johnson will need some time to adjust. So far he’s given no indication as to what he might spend the money on, though he did confirm he’d definitely be quitting his job as a truck driver.
New York has been seeing unprecedented luck recently and this lucky winner was the third consecutive winner from the state. The NY Lottery is North America’s largest and most profitable, giving 13% of total state education aid to local school districts.
As this winner was late to claim, the Powerball jackpot has had the chance to climb again and the next jackpot, up for grabs this Thursday is estimated to be worth a massive $174,000,000!