Winner Claims $110-Million Super Lotto Plus Jackpot

More than a week after he bought his golden ticket, the winner of the $110-million Super Lotto Plus jackpot has come forward.

Richard F. Roberts visited the California State Lottery’s district office in Van Nuys on Thursday to claim the second-highest payout for a single ticket owner in the history of the lottery, spokeswoman Cathy Doyle Johnston said.

The record for the highest single winner jackpot belongs to Al Castellano, who won $141 million on June 23, 2001, in San Jose.

Patricia Frierson, who won $91 million Aug. 9, 2003, with a ticket bought in Carson, now falls to third place.

Roberts’ magic numbers were 2, 9, 12, 20, 34 and mega number 16.

The odds of picking all five numbers and the mega number are more than 40 million to 1, lottery officials said.

Roberts bought the winning ticket for the July 5 drawing from Foremost Liquor Market at 301 Monterey Road in South Pasadena.

Store owner Jagjit Sidhu, 48, was at home when he heard that a South Pasadena store had sold the lucky numbers. He suspected he might be a winner too.

“We have a very high volume for the Super Lotto. I was thinking my chances were 70% to 80%,” said Sidhu, whose store will collect a $550,000 prize for selling the ticket. He said he plans to clear his debts and consider a vacation -- after paying taxes.

California public schools, which earn 34 cents for every ticket sold, will receive $64 million from the drawing.

For the last six years, the lottery has provided more than $1 billion annually to state schools, officials said.

Sidhu said this was the first big jackpot ticket he had sold in his three years at the store but that the previous owner had a few Fantasy 5 winners.

Roberts has not decided his payout method, the lottery spokeswoman said. Annual payments would start at $2.75 million before taxes and rise to more than $5.6 million by the 26th year. A cash payout would yield Roberts a $57-million lump sum, roughly half the jackpot.