Pedro Quezada of New Jersey was announced as the official the winner of the $338 million Powerball jackpot on Tuesday, according to the New Jersey Lottery.

Residents of the Possaic neighborhood said that the winner would always stop by the Eagles Liquor Store and pickup a few bottles of beer and lotto tickets. Only this time, he also unknowingly walked away with a boatload of money.

The respective prize holder said on Monday that he was holding the winning ticket, but verification from lottery officials didn't come until Tuesday.

Quezada, 44, stated that he was walking to work on Monday and witnessed a crowd at a liquor store in Passaic, New Jersey. Since he purchased his Powerball ticket there, he figured he should go inside to see who won the prize.

"I felt pure joy, just happiness. I never thought I would win such a prize,"

Quezada, a Dominican deli owner, told news conference reporters.

Upon seeing the results, Quezada showed his ticket to the clerk, who gave him the confirmation that he had won.

Quezada went with the up-front cash option over an annuity. The lump sum purse was listed at $211 million. However, after the deduction of federal and state taxes, he'll be left with roughly $151 million, said Carole Hedinger, the executive director of the New Jersey Lottery.

One of the reporters at the news conference asked the winner whether he would be staying put in New Jersey, while others wanted to know if he would be returning to the Dominican Republic to celebrate with his friends and family.

"I don't know. I have to think about it, my mind is not clear yet," he said.

Quezada also said that he doesn't plan to keep working, and that his son who works alongside him at his deli won't either.

"Of course, my family's a very humble family, and we're going to help each other out."

Quezada's winning ticket matched all six of the numbers picked, which were 17, 29, 31, 52, 53 and the Powerball, 31.

Tags
Powerball jackpot, Powerball