Army Veteran from Humble Beginnings Wins $44 Million Powerball Jackpot in California

Despite winning a massive Powerball jackpot in California, Jerry Heath said he won’t forget his humble beginnings.

Heath, an Army veteran and former Long Beach police detective, won a $44.3 million Powerball jackpot, California Lottery officials said in a Dec. 3 news release.

“I’m a very fortunate human being,” Heath said in the news release.

Heath bought his winning ticket, which matched all five numbers and the Powerball, from a Ralphs in Dana Point, about a 60-mile drive southeast from Los Angeles, in August, McClatchy News reported.

For Heath, who said he comes from a “low-income upbringing,” playing the lottery is his “only luxury.”

“I can’t forget where I came from now that I’m a multimillionaire,” Heath told lottery officials.

Heath told lottery officials he plans to share his prize with his daughter and grandchildren.

After graduating from the California State University, Long Beach, with a degree in business, “he went on to become a decorated detective for the Long Beach Police Department and served six years in the United States Army,” lottery officials said.

Heath told lottery officials a former boss said the jackpot “couldn’t have happened to a better person.”

Even though he’s already scored a life-changing win, Heath said he still plays the lottery every day.

“Now that he’s conquered Powerball, he has his sights set on SuperLotto Plus, which is only offered in California,” lottery officials said.

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What to know about Powerball

To score the jackpot in the Powerball, a player must match all five white balls and the red Powerball.

The odds of scoring the jackpot prize are 1 in 292,201,338.

Tickets can be bought on the day of the drawing, but sales times and price vary by state.

Drawings are broadcast Saturdays, Mondays and Wednesdays at 10:59 p.m. ET and can be streamed online.

Powerball is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

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