January’s $55m Australian Powerball Jackpot Winner Finally Claims Winnings

JANUARY’S $55M AUSTRALIAN POWERBALL JACKPOT WINNER FINALLY CLAIMS WINNINGS

175 days after a ticket sold in Melbourne in Victoria won a $55m Australian Powerball jackpot was won in the January 11 draw, the lucky winner finally claimed their prize on Wednesday July 4.Just who the Australian Powerball jackpot winner is remains a mystery. They have asked to remain anonymous just like the recent American man who won a $5m scratch card prize.  The Australian Powerball winnings were due to be handed over to Victoria’s State Revenue Office for safekeeping, though that wouldn’t have prevented the winner from claiming their Australian Powerball winnings.Australian Powerball spokesperson Bronnie Spencer said the mystery over why it took nearly six months for the Australian Powerball win to be claimed won’t be revealed or how the lucky winner intends on spending their fortune.There have many guesses as to why it took so long for the winner to come forward to claim their Australian Powerball prize. The winning ticket was purchased from the Scole Lotto & News in Brunswick and its owner Sam Misiano has previously spoken about the misery the $55m Australian Powerball win has caused him as the mystery over who won the prize continued.As the wait for the winner to come forward continued, he spoke last month about the many customers who had all told him that they might be the Australian Powerball jackpot winner. Stories included problems caused by infidelity and a ticket being left in a car that was then sold and written off. The newsagent’s staff believed the winner may have been a customer who regularly travels abroad or someone who bought a ticket while in Melbourne for January’s Australian Open tennis tournament.Now the winner has finally come forward, albeit anonymously, Misiano is “relieved” the search is over. “It’s just fantastic… it’s been a crazy few months, but now we can relax knowing (the prize) has been claimed by its rightful winner.”Last year a syndicate from Cork in Ireland took nearly three months to come forward and claim their €29,526 EuroMillions prize. Englishman Martin Crighton had a £1m winning EuroMillions ticket in his wallet for a month before finding it.Tattslotto spokesperson Matt Hart said the Australian Powerball winner would have the $55m in their bank on July 5. “We’re relieved that it’s finally been claimed,” Hart said. “We’re in the business of making millionaires, not holding on to the money.”For your chance of becoming next big winner, play online with us at Lottery24.com.