$87 Million SuperLotto Jackpot Winner Claims Largest Individual Prize Won in California - Third Largest Jackpot in California Lottery History

06.15.1999
$87 Million SuperLotto Jackpot Winner Claims Largest Individual Prize Won in California - Third Largest Jackpot in California Lottery History

SACRAMENTO -- Lottery officials announced that Salvador Gonzalez came forward to claim last Wednesday's $87 million SuperLotto jackpot prize. Gonzalez discovered that he had won the mega jackpot last Thursday evening and waited sleeplessly until midnight to let his wife know that they were California's latest millionaires.

Gonzalez came into the Santa Ana District Office to claim his prize which makes him the largest individual winner in the California Lottery's history. Gonzalez who purchased a three dollar ticket at Kelly's Mini Mart in Anaheim, was playing pool when he decided to buy his ticket. He chose his own numbers randomly. Gonzalez, who did not wish to hold a press conference, plans to use his prize money to buy a new home, new car and motorhome to travel throughout the United States. He also plans to use his prize money for educational purposes.

The numbers drawn for Wednesday's June 9, 1999 were 8, 32, 31, 43, 26 and 25. The winning ticket was sold at Kelly's Mini Mart at 1287 E. Lincoln Ave. #A. The retailer will receive one half of one percent of $87 million or $435,000 for selling the winning combination.

The winning ticket for the $87 million will be paid out to Gonzalez as a cash option prize of $40,674,832 million before federal tax withholding of 28%. The $87 million is the largest single ticket prize won in California and the largest individual prize won in the history of the California Lottery. Prior to this the largest individual prize winner in California Lottery history was Augustine Chiarenza of Lompoc, who won $51.6 million. The next individual prize winner in California Lottery history was Tom Tehee of Ontario, who won $45.3 million.

The $87 million jackpot is the third largest in California Lottery history and the largest SuperLotto prize since April 8, 1998, when the second largest jackpot of $104 million was split by 3 winning tickets and 24 winners. The largest California jackpot was $118.8 million on April 17, 1991, split by ten winning tickets and shared by a total of 54 winners. This $118.8 jackpot holds the record for the largest single-state Lottery jackpot in the United States.

Since the California Lottery began in 1985, the Lottery has contributed $10.5 billion to California's public schools. Sales for the $87 million jackpot raised an additional $47 million for the state's public schools.

- # # # -

1999 2nd Quarter Press Releases: Article