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September 11, 2026Short & citedBlog
Civic Viewpoint.
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People File • Lottery Winner

Edwin Castro

Edwin Castro is an American lottery winner from Altadena, California, who won the record US$2.04 billion Powerball jackpot in 2022.

Updated September 11, 20261 min readCited sources

Edwin Castro is the American winner of the record US$2.04 billion Powerball jackpot in 2022. He later faced a legal dispute over the ticket, which was dismissed.

What it is

Edwin Castro, from Altadena, California, won the largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history in the Powerball drawing on November 7, 2022. He chose the lump-sum payout of about US$997.6 million before taxes and was publicly identified as the winner on February 14, 2023.

Key details

After winning, Castro reportedly bought multiple expensive properties and luxury vehicles in California. A lawsuit filed in 2023 alleged the winning ticket was stolen, but the case was dismissed in 2024 due to insufficient physical evidence. In 2025, media reported that one of his properties was destroyed in the Palisades fire.

Why it matters

Castro's win set a record for the largest U.S. lottery jackpot, drawing widespread attention. The subsequent legal dispute and his high-profile spending kept him in the public eye. The case also highlighted issues around lottery ticket security and ownership.

In short

  • Won record US$2.04 billion Powerball jackpot in 2022.
  • Chose lump-sum payout of about $997.6 million before taxes.
  • Bought multiple California properties and vehicles.
  • Lawsuit over stolen ticket dismissed in 2024.

Quick questions

Who is Edwin Castro?
Edwin Castro is an American lottery winner from Altadena, California, best known for winning the record US$2.04 billion Powerball jackpot in 2022.
How much did Edwin Castro win?
He won a US$2.04 billion Powerball jackpot. He selected the lump-sum option, reported as about US$997.6 million before taxes.
What happened to Edwin Castro's lottery ticket?
A lawsuit alleged that the ticket had been stolen, but the case was dismissed in 2024 after the court found insufficient physical evidence.

Sources

  1. Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edwin_Castro_(lottery_winner)
    Supports: Basic identification as an American lottery winner, the 2022 Powerball win, and the 2024 lawsuit dismissal.
  2. TCPalm — https://www.tcpalm.com/story/news/2026/01/26/edwin-castro-powerball-winner-california-wildfire/88315074007/
    Supports: Altadena origin, lump-sum payout, and later real-estate purchases.
  3. The Sun — https://www.the-sun.com/money/11963743/edwin-castro-birthday-powerball-buys/
    Supports: Age reporting, lump-sum payout, and post-win purchases.
  4. The Independent — https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/powerball-lottery-california-winner-edwin-castro-b2282451.html
    Supports: Identification as the Powerball winner and lump-sum choice.
  5. New York Post — https://nypost.com/2024/10/02/us-news/edwin-castro-will-keep-2-04-billion-winnings-as-calif-judge-tosses-powerball-lawsuit/
    Supports: Dismissal of the lawsuit over the alleged stolen ticket and court reasoning.
  6. Astro-Databank — https://www.astro.com/astro-databank/Castro,_Edwin
    Supports: Reported payout details and subsequent property purchases.
  7. The Economic Times — https://economictimes.indiatimes.com/us/news/who-is-edwin-castro-know-all-about-the-california-man-who-won-the-record-2-04-billion-powerball-jackpot/articleshow/126171457.cms
    Supports: Later reporting on property purchases, hometown investments, and wildfire-related losses.