Winner of $1.08 billion Powerball jackpot Yanira Alvarez revealed after 8 months in California

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broke down

by Nicholas McIntyre

They don't call it the Golden State for nothing.

For the second time this month, a $1 billion Powerball winner has been revealed in California, while the current lottery jackpot is approaching the coveted 10-figure value.

Yanira Alvarez bought a $1.08 billion Powerball jackpot ticket at Las Palmitas Mini Market in Los Angeles for the July 19, 2023 drawing.

Alvarez's winning numbers were 7, 10, 11, 13, 24, and the red Powerball ball was 24.

The state lottery said her massive win last July ended 39 Powerball drawings and was the first of two winning tickets worth $1 billion sold in California, referring to the historic win by Theodorus “Theo” Struick.

California law requires that the grand prize winners be named and located.

Alvarez declined to make any public comments with the announcement.

Before Alvarez's identity was revealed, the owners of Las Palmitas Mini Market believed the winner was an elderly woman who lived near the store.

“Hispanic lady, old lady,” the store manager’s daughter, Angelica Menjivar, told The Post. “100% Latina lady.”

Located in the Fashion District of downtown Los Angeles, the modest store has been owned by Maria Mengieva and her family since 2017.

Alvarez, whose age was not immediately known, had the option of receiving the $1.08 billion, which was repaid in more than 30 annual payments, or through a one-time cash value.

She opted for a one-time payment of $558.1 before federal taxes.

“We can't thank our players enough for their help supporting California's public schools,” said California Lottery Director Harjinder K. Shergill Cheema. “Our mission is what drives us every day, and while the grand prizes change the lives of the big winners, they also make an important difference in the lives of students and teachers in classrooms across the state.”

Her win was the third-largest jackpot in the game's history at the time of the drawing.

The $1.08 billion prize now stands fourth on the record list after Struyk won the jackpot in October with a payout of $1.765 billion, according to Powerball.

On March 15, Struyk was announced as the representative to claim the win after a ticket was sold out at Midway Market & Liquor in Frazier Park, California.

The two stores are about 81 miles away from each other.

The California Lottery uses the proceeds it earns through the drawing to raise money for public schools in the state.

“Last year's consecutive mega award sequences resulted in an estimated $197.9 million in additional funding for schools.”

Both wins remain behind statesman Edwin Castro's historic $2.04 billion win in November 2022.

The Golden State has claimed at least a share of the four largest Powerball jackpots in lottery history.

In 2016, three tickets, one in California, Florida and Texas, matched all six numbers to win a $1.586 billion prize, the first at the time to be worth more than $1 billion.

The Powerball jackpot is estimated at $935 million with a cash value of $452.5 million.

The next drawing is Saturday evening at 11 pm