Search for Powerball Winner Continues in NH

The $487 million Powerball jackpot winner still remains a mystery, but we know the ticket was sold in Raymond, New Hampshire.

The winner must claim his or her prize at the lottery headquarters in Concord.

It's nowhere close to the jackpot, but even after taxes, Timothy Johnson's weekend win wasn't too bad.

"Ten thousand," the Conway resident said smiling. "Putting a new porch on my house."

The hope of hitting it big is what keeps people playing.

Pittsfield resident Ed Soroka is convinced it's just a matter of time, especially since he found out Saturday's wining Powerball ticket was sold in his home state.

"That's the first thing I said to myself, that it's getting close to me, it's going to happen," Soroka said.

We still don't know who hit the jackpot at the Hannaford in Raymond, but we do know the first thing they need to do.

"Turn the ticket over, sign it, and print your name," said Carl Johnson with Grove Street Fiduciary, LLC in Peterborough.

Johnson says the winner should hire a lawyer, financial adviser, and even a personal assistant right away. And that's not all.

"I would take down social media, take down Facebook, take down your email address, because you're going to get inundated very quickly," Johnson said.

It's a life-changing amount of money - the biggest prize in state history and the fifth largest Powerball offering ever.

"Since 2007, we haven't had a winner, but I think we made up for it over the weekend with this huge jackpot," said New Hampshire Lottery spokesperson Maura McCann.

The winner can choose a lump sum of about $340 million before taxes, or a graduated payout over 30 years.

Johnson says the decision depends on lifestyle.

"At end of day, what your purpose in life is something you're going to want to revisit before it gets too crazy," Johnson said.

And while the winner's identity is still not known, the good fortune has other Granite Staters testing their luck.

"You can't win unless you play," said Anna Cozza of East Hampstead as she purchased another scratch ticker.

All of the net proceeds of lottery sales go to public education in the state.

Winners have up to a year to claim the prize.

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