Near-Miss Powerball Win in Ventura County
On December 20, the $1.5 billion Powerball jackpot remained unclaimed, but a significant second-place prize was secured at a market in Nyeland Acres. According to the California Lottery, a ticket purchased at Wright's Market, located just outside Oxnard, matched all numbers except the Powerball, resulting in a $2.3 million win.
State lottery officials announced that the store at 2691 Ventura Blvd. in unincorporated Ventura County received a bonus of approximately $11,500 for selling the ticket with five correct numbers.
As of 8 a.m. on December 22, the winner had not come forward to claim the prize, according to Bharat Pal, a cashier at the market. Pal also noted that the store had not been contacted by lottery officials at that time.
The market's total winnings for 2024 reached $708,951, as displayed on a sign in the shop window. Pal mentioned that the recent publicity has attracted new customers hoping to purchase Powerball tickets.
The next drawing was scheduled for December 22, with the jackpot increasing to $1.6 billion and a cash option of $735.3 million. Lottery officials stated that this marks the fourth-largest amount in Powerball history and the fifth-largest nationally, with 45 consecutive drawings without a grand prize winner contributing around $100 million to public education in California.
