Winner of US$2 billion lottery jackpot went on a real estate shopping spree
Who doesn’t dream of winning the lottery and being able to quit their jobs, travel, and buy their dream home? For the recent winner of the historic Powerball jackpot, it’s more like buying several dream homes.
Edwin Castro, 31, purchased a Powerball lottery ticket at a gas station in Altadena, California, in November 2022, landing himself the US$2.04 billion jackpot. Castro, who didn’t claim the prize in person, chose the US$997.6 million cash instead of a 29-year annuity of payments, reports Fortune.
California Lottery/YouTube
After federal taxes, according to USA Today, Castro ended up with $628.5 million in cash. While it may not be quite the US$2 billion jackpot, it’s still over half a billion dollars.
So what’s a new multi-millionaire to do? Go shopping, of course.
Except, this lotto winner has been shopping for some of the priciest real estate in and around Los Angeles, according to Insider.
Castro is now neighbours with the likes of Dakota Johnson, Ariana Grande, and Jimmy Kimmel after buying a US$25.5 million home in Hollywood Hills.
According to Yahoo Finance, Castro was an architecture student at Woodbury University in Burbank, California, which no doubt contributed to his taste in real estate.
He also bought a Japanese-inspired home built in 1953 in his hometown of Altadena — a short drive from the gas station where he purchased his life-changing lottery ticket. Castro reportedly paid US$4 million for the property.
Now, Castro has just bought his most expensive investment yet.
In September, he reportedly bought his third property. The three-story home is certainly fitting for a new multimillionaire — it features seven bedrooms with walk-in closets, 11 bathrooms, a koi pond, and an infinity pool. That’s not all — it also includes DJ turntables, a wine cellar, a home theatre, a champagne room, and a glass walkway. The home also offers panoramic views of Los Angeles.
With several luxury properties under his name, it looks like this former architecture student is living his best life. Castro has also been spotted around LA in a Porsche, no doubt the perfect car to take him from one home to the next.