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Subscribe to RSSA man at a gas station in Maryland was caught on camera reacting with excitement to a scan of his Powerball ticket, purchased in Arizona. NBC's Tom Costello speaks to the store clerk who checked the man's numbers, and claims he's the mystery co-winner of the $580 million jackpot.
Officials say the winning tickets for the largest Powerball jackpot ever -- $587 million -- were sold in Missouri and Arizona. But on Thursday, a mystery man showed up at a gas station in Upper Marlboro, Md., claiming to hold one of the big winners.
Surveillance video showed the man -- burly, bald, African-American and clad in a yellow construction suit -- slowly amble up to the counter, where he pulled out some lottery tickets.
He showed them to the clerk and then repeatedly pumped his arms in excitement after reportedly seeing the numbers match.
According to Kamran Afgan, a cashier on duty at the time, the man said something along the lines of, "Oh my God," after his numbers matched, and gave Afgan the ticket to hold and examine.
Afgan said the man told him he was from Maryland and a member of the military. It's unclear if he's based in Arizona, but his ticket was an Arizona ticket, Afgan told NBC News. Afgan said he didn't get a chance to scan the ticket into the lottery machine because the man took it back so quickly.
The entire store was in shock, Afgan said.
Before leaving, the man showed his tickets to two other people in the store who confirmed he had the winner. At that point, the man walked out. But a moment later, he returned, saying he forget to buy gas.
One can understand how he might have been a little distracted.
No winner has come forward yet in Arizona, which means it is possible this Maryland mystery man holds a ticket worth $293.7 million in his hands.
On Friday, Missouri lottery officials announced that a husband and wife from Dearborn, Mo., were the lucky ticket holders in that state, and they couldn't be more shocked at their good fortune.
"I called my husband and told him, 'I think I am having a heart attack,'" Cindy Hill, 51, said, according to a Missouri Lottery press release. "I think we just won the lottery!"
She added, "You know it's the Show Me State, so he said, 'Show me.'"
NBC News' Cydney Weiner contributed to this report.
NBC's Kerry Sanders reports from Dearborn, Mo., where the town is celebrating one family's luck of winning half the record Powerball jackpot. A family friend of the couple, expected to be named by lottery officials Friday, tells TODAY's Savannah Guthrie "it couldn't have happened to a better guy."
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Another person wanting to have their 15 minutes of fame. The clerk did not scan the lottery ticket into the machine. He just looked at it. Also no one verified the date of the drawing on the ticket. This joker probrably brought this ticket after the drawing with the winning numbers just to get into the news.
YES! The Black Man finally WINS!!! 600 years of oppression and "we are a movin on up"..."to the TOP"... "to that deluxe apartment in the skyyy!!!"
Really? You just can't be happy that someone won?
Hmmm, I have to admit: his acting and body language are pretty darn good if he's faking it....
Why not? Sure, I wish it was me, but since it wasn't I am glad to see someone who has.
Absolutely! I buy the ticket with the same numbers in Arizona and. less than 48 hours later, display it to strangers in Maryland (thousands of miles away), but don't identify myself to them, craftily feigning joy and surprise, as well as confusion, all so that I may have my fifteen minutes of fame and glory.
My plan was working perfectly til Keisha discovered it.
Curses!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Right... I guess only white people should be allowed to win the Powerball or presidential election..
Get off the racial kick already twits! It wouldn't matter if the man was purple, there are too many shady questions about the whole thing that makes it hard to believe. If it is a legit ticket, congrats to him but if it's a scam, it just shows how some people will do anything to gain that moment of fame.
"Also no one verified the date of the drawing on the ticket."
True but it was verified by two other customers and the entire store was shocked.
@keisha,sounds like you have plenty of experince checking tickets behind the counter of the local 7-11 you dont what went down i hope he is the winner
@Keisha-866808 - During my career, I would travel from state to state on a weekly basis. It is not unusual for a person to purchase a lottery ticket in one state and live another. According to other articles, this gentleman's ticket had Arizona, and the correct date on the ticket. The cashier could not scan a ticket from another State and get results, that is why he did not scan the ticket.
I'll bet you 587M that this guy is one of the winners! I just hope his naivete doesn't get him killed before he gets back to Arizona to cash in. BTW - Winning in Arizona is actually better for this gentleman. He will pay a lot less tax to Arizona, than he would have to Maryland.
Why cant some people read? the article clearly states: "Afgan said he didn't get a chance to scan the ticket into the lottery machine because the man took it back so quickly.
The entire store was in shock, Afgan said.
Before leaving, the man showed his tickets to two other people in the store who confirmed he had the winner. At that point, the man walked out. But a moment later, he returned, saying he forget to buy gas."
Seems to be the winner, and he didn't scan it because he didn't get a chance to.
I believe this gentleman won! He couldn't believe it. He had to get reassurances from both the store employees and his co-workers just to make sure his eyes weren't deceiving him :)
CONGRATS TO ALL THE WINNERS!!!
BTW @kKeisha-866808 --The store clerks would not have been able to scan his ticket because he was in Maryland and the ticket was bought in Arizona. Its the same with the local lotteries as well. You cannot scan a DC ticket in the state of Maryland and vice-versa (whether you're at 7-11 or not).
Someone who just won 250 million dollars doesnt go to a gas station to check if he won. you get a lawyer an verify the numbers on the bottom of the ticket with a phone call to the lottery office. YIPPEE im a winner, please knock me out an take my ticket, oh by the way I need to get some gas, and a yoo hoo and a moon pie and some md 2020, .............an where did I put that damn ticket ?????
They played a commercial in spanish just before this video started. I DONT SPEAK THAT GUTTER LANGUAGE!!! DONT TALK TO ME IN SPANISH IN MY OWN COUNTRY. GET IT? STUPID.
@Keisha - What is soooo wrong with this guy bringing his ticket to a lottery retailer and celebrate for a few minutes? He did not have to go out and look for his 15 minutes of fame. It found him!! No matter how he would have broke the news to the world the media would have been chasing him in order to be the first to report who the "mystery" winner is. It sounds to me like you are just a little bit jealouos that you are not able to get your 15 minutes. I hope he parites hard, shows his ticket to as many people that want to look at it. Also, it does no good to scan the ticket at a retailer. For a prize that high he will have to go to the lottery administration building and have a check printed up......Lump sum or yearly payments???? That would be the only thing I worried about after a win like that.
Not buying it. Having worked at a gas station that sold tickets we didn't even look at the tickets they went straight to the scanner. I find it somewhat suspicious that he took the ticket back before he even had a confirmation from the computer system.
Keisha and a like ...tell me is ignorance really that bliss ..it must be....only totaly ignorant people would use there 15 minutes of fame to fake people out...if you only get 15 minutes of fame why would you use it to fool people....well I guess there must be people like tht out there after all there are people ,and plenty it seems to be, like some of you guys and keisha
It's not impossible. We always buy a Powerball ticket when we visit another state. And Keisha - how would he have purchased a ticket in Arizona AFTER the fact from Maryland? You can't purchase tickets AFTER the drawing anywhere.
Wryview - We do too LOL it's always them darn out of staters who win :)
If I live in Arizona, I can go right now and get a Powerball Ticket with the winning numbers on it from the Wednesday drawing. It would just say the drawing date is for Saturday. Also he could have still been in Arizona after the drawing.
Yes he could Keisha, but what would be the point? It's not like he was looking for 15 minutes of fame from a surveillance camera. The people who try to just get on TV are the ones who are very open about their "Winning" tickets. It's not like he tried to sell the "Winner" to another customer in a scam. If he won, then good for him. Sucks that it wasn't me, but good for him just the same. haha
Scammers buy tickets after a winning number is picked by using the same numbers. The ticket will have a different drawing date, but if you just flash the ticket long enough for someone to read the numbers they won't notice the date. They usually come up with a story saying they can't come forward because of immigration or because they are wanted by the police. They get someone to give them a few thousand in cash in exchange for the ticket, so they can say they won. You wouldn't believe how many people fall for that.
earlier this year, a woman who worked at McDonald's in Baltimore, claimed she had the winning ticket for the Powerball. She was in an office pool, but claimed she bought the ticket separately from the group since she was the one who bought the tickets for everyone else. She later claimed she lost the ticket when asked to produce it. That is still being investigated because someone else came forward to claim the prize, but the coworkers believe she gave them the ticket in exchange for a cut in the winnings.
yes you can purchase tickets after the fact i have one for sale as we speak LOL
I certainly wouldn't be showing the winning ticket to strangers if I had it. Lots of folks out there will club you for a little money - let alone however many millions. I would want to be as anonymous as possible - and not prance around to the effect of "is this worth hundreds of millions" to strangers (or my family...but...that's another issue).
You check your numbers from TV, radio, Internet. BIG WINNER - you go to the lottery office - not the convenience store. May still be legit - but certainly not how I would go about it (but then again, for that much money - I could lose my mind).
I always just bring my tickets to the store and have them scanned. But, I make sure I watch the clerk and listen for the tell tale beep of a non winning ticket!
an out of state ticket from Arizona will not scan on a Maryland lottery machine
You're saying that a Powerball ticket purchased from one state cannot be scanned by a Powerball machine in another state? And you know this - how?
They can be scanned I buy them in IL and scan in MI
I live in Maryland, bought a ticket in Virginia. The machine in Maryland scanned it and I got my $2 back.
interesting - you can't do it here in Kansas City - if you buy it in KS, it can't be scanned on a machine in MO and vice versa
Yes they can be scanned in any other state....the Powerball lottery is CONJOINED in all states! The lottery office will tell you this if you call them!
Sorry, you are wrong booyah25. I buy powerball tickets on the Kansas side and scan there here in Missouri all the time. You may be thinking about the the state lotto games.
wow who does this guy think he is? just because he's a rich yuppie now doesn't entitle him to causing scenes like this in public. go pump your arms a few more times you buffoon
your name says it all
actually other than the fact that he probably drives a gus-guzzling pick-up truck i don't really have a problem with this guy i just think that he should learn how to conduct himself better in public. i once saw a guy get stabbed in a dunk-tank mishap and he made less commotion than this guy
Lisa....its LITTER-hater not Little-hater... i agree with him and it brngs a tear to my eye every time i throw my big mac wrapper out the window....but hey what ya going to do?
If he did win he has to be about the dumbest man alive. Anyone could have easily grabbed the ticket and run. With $200 million on the line you just don't do that!! Especially without having signed the ticket yet. Dumb dumber and dumbest event in history if this turns out true.
With cameras everywhere, it's doubtful he would get very far. They probably verify when the ticket is bought too to match picture IDs.
was it signed in ink?
He was one of 38 other winners without the 6th ball that they didn't have!!
Yeah, I would like to see you try to take that ticket from that big dude! he would kick your @ss! LOL
The winning Arizona ticket was purchased in Fountain Hills, Arizona - home to sheriff Joe Arpaio. At least Joe won't get a dime of that money!
What if Joe bought it?
I smell B.S. ....
For the most part, all of you belong to the type of people that former VP Spiro Agnew called the nattering nabobs of negativism. Glad I don't live near any of you!
Dave
good news i am going to buy that house for sale by you , we are going to be neighbors, BTW can i borrow your weed-whacker....?
I agree, Dave. Such bitterness... Must be the jealous type O_o
road crews tend to travel but Arizona to Maryland? had it been a Holiday, OK maybe he went to visit relatives, but mid week? naw........i don't buy it.
It was a holiday. Thanksgiving...
Thanksgiving was the week BEFORE..(19th).hence there was a drawing Saturday (22nd) which left him a window of sun. (23rd).to wed.(22nd) of THIS week. don't own a calender or just cant figure such a fancy gizzmo?
wed 26th ( typo)
He probably won but not the big prize...".tank u berry much you be coming again".....
well, if that guy did win,good for him. lucky bastard.i got 1 number.
i got six....course they were different numbers.......but hey
probably purchased by an illegal from mexico over here to pick fruit. obama will probably let him have his citizenship so he will have to pay the taxes on it.
well since the article says he's a african-american construction work i guess that you're a misinformed racist rather than just a regular one
i would have snatched that thing out of his hands so fast. lol.
just kidding. send me half, bro!
If the picture that accompanies this story is any indication of it's accuracy then all of your comments are misguided. The man in the picture is very obviously not black.
You obviously just like to mouth off about nothing. You have to actually click on the video, rather then look at a still frame of it.
If this winning Powerball number was a quick pick and the lottery comission allows the same number to be picked more then once this is my last Powerball ticket I will purchase. My quickpick ticket number should only be allowed once
What you are saying makes absolutely no sense. Are you high on meth? The drawing is a drawing of random numbers, so why can't you use the same numbers? Most people use the same picked numbers every week. The quick pick is also just random numbers selected by the computer.
BP... It was a quick pick. He bought $10 worth of quick picks...
Arizizona!!!
is not spelled that way...........
bwahaahaaaahaaaa...
This person is at least bright enough to try and stay unknown and here is NBC putting his pic up for all to see. You guys should be ashamed of yourself. The worst thing these winners lose is their anonymity. Being famous is about he worst thing I could ever imagine.
This video is actually from ABC News (exclusive 3 am this morning). I understand what you mean, though. I know I would want to remain anonymous :)
not sure why everyone is saying he's a construction worker - he may have looked like one, however, the article states that he mentioned he was military - No reason why he couldn't have been on TDY at Luke AFB outside Phoenix and bought the ticket especially since the article says the clerk saw that it was in fact an arizona ticket.....he could have bought the ticket while on TDY, not thought anything of it since chances are so slim and then happened to check his numbers when he got gas..... Not sure if I could keep my composure if I was getting gas and realized I won $200 million....
there ya go beck...getting all logical on us....
if you beleive that random numbers are actually random then you need more math help then I can provide. I am saying that my quick pick numbers should only come up once. I am not wlling to share Sorry
From the picture I see of the guy in the video, he is not in the Military... he has a goatee and that is simply not allowed. I won't go into the other aspects of his appearance that make it unlikely. Him checking the numbers at a convenience store (but not scanning the ticket) all scream that he likely post purchased a ticket for a future drawing to make it appear (at a glance) he had a winner, esp. with a "story" about being in the military. I'll be shocked if this turns out to be true.
He could be Guard?
He's a highway worker. If I were him, I would be tense with allowing someone else to grab hold of such a ticket which is why [in my humble opinion] he went to his co-workers. Remember in the video, one of his co-workers pulled his specs out to check the ticket and nodded his head. Another thing... this is a surveillance video. Those searching for their fifteen minutes prefer more of an audience. I wish ALL the winners well.
-A
You brain is ona da fritz! That is why they are RANDOM, there is no structure to it, every time there is a ticket purchased, a number is generated. There is no rule that the computer keep track of the numbers and generate them only once.
As many tickets that are purchased, all the possibilities are probably used up. If that was the case, then sales would be stopped once all the numbers were generated... do I really need to continue?????
Why do the news people wait around to "out" lottery winners. Maybe they want privacy. If I won that kind of money I'd want it to remain private. Maybe there's a law or something that says you have to publish the name, but to look at surveillance videos to get a picture of the guy is going to far I think.
Wasn't there a whackadoodle lady up in Baltimore who claimed to have the winning ticket last big jackpot? Must be something in the Maryland water.
Yeah, she kept refusing to actually show the ticket to anybody, then claimed to have lost it... I think she stretched it out for weeks.
What is going on here? Fox news is saying the same video occurred in the store in AZ that sold the winning ticket...
Fox News getting the facts wrong? Naahhhhh!
Operative Words: FOX NEWS *_*