MERRIMACK, N.H. (CBS News) — Reeds Ferry Market owner Sam Safa can’t believe his luck — a winning Powerball ticket worth $559.7 million was bought at his store.
“I get $75,000 as a bonus for selling the ticket, and who can say no to money?” he said.
In 2016, a New Hampshire Powerball winner established a trust and claimed the $487 million jackpot. But January’s winner signed her own name on the ticket as requested by lottery instructions. Now, by not claiming her prize, she stands to lose $50,000 a day in interest.
Edward Jones financial advisor Perry Radford works in Merrimack, New Hampshire.
“You want to have a whole group of people on your side because everybody’s gonna be coming after you,” Radford said.
The anonymous winner already has a lot of people on her side.
“It’s going to change her life and it’s going be a living hell. She’ll have to change her name and move away if they put her name out,” said one customer.
The winner’s lawsuit cites other big winners who had tragedies follow them after winning the lottery. In 2016, a Georgia lottery winner was murdered by armed gunmen. A 2009 winner in Florida was scammed by a woman claiming to be a financial advisor, who then killed him and buried him in her backyard.
Her lawyers say she hopes to pour her winnings into her town, which is buzzing with the news.
“If I won that much money, it wouldn’t matter to me,” said one customer.
