Pedro Quezada won the Powerball jackpot this week at $338 million. He is choosing to accept the lump sum option for the lottery, which will then further reduce the amount of money he has won.
After taxes the lump sum to be deposited into Quezada’s account will be $152 million.
Pedro Quezada has lived in the United States as a permanent resident for approximately 26 years, before that he lived in the Dominican Republic.
Many immigrants come to the United States looking for opportunities to make money and climb the social ladder, but Quezada’s win of the Powerball is a particularly dramatic example of the adage.
When asked what he will do with the money he assured reporters through a translator that he would be helping his family and friends and getting a car as he currently does not have one.
The likelihood of winning the Powerball lottery is extremely low. The statistical chance of winning is about 175 million to one.
Compared to the Green Card Lottery—a United States immigration visa distribution scheme—winning the Powerball is extremely unlikely.
It is unclear how Quezada entered the United States, but he is most assuredly a legal resident of America. Without proof of permanent residency he would not be able to accept the lottery prize.