NH Powerball Winner To Collect While Waiting For Court Decision

CONCORD, NH — Tomorrow, representatives for the winner of the $559.7 million Powerball prize will be at the New Hampshire State Lottery Commission Headquarters in Concord to accept the prize and make an announcement regarding the winner’s charitable plans, according to lottery officials. The winner – who purchased a ticket at Reed’s Ferry in Merrimack and won on Jan. 6 – signed the ticket after realizing that they won. The process of signing the ticket keeps a winner from filing to collect the winnings anonymously, according to state law.

The winner, however, is seeking court action to overrule lottery policy in this case.

The winner will be represented by attorneys from Shaheen & Gordon on Wednesday morning as well as representatives from state nonprofits that will be receiving donations of support.

According to NHPR, the commission stated last month that it will allow the winner to collect the prize while they wait for the court to rule on the request. In the state of New Hampshire, the identity of lottery winners is a public record unless the winners create a trust to shield themselves from the state’s right-to-know law. The process of signing the ticket negates backtracking to create a trust, according to the lottery.

The New Hampshire Union Leader also noted last month that the winner’s fight to stay anonymous while not collecting the money was costing them about $14,000 a day, in interest.

A previous large New Hampshire Powerball winner from 2016, purchased a $487 million ticket and collected a $256 million lump sum. With that sum, the family created the Robin Egg 2016 Nominee Trust, to fund charitable organizations.

Image via NH Lottery.