'Powerball is rigged': Losing lottery players question how California has claimed the four biggest ever jackpots - despite odds of winning at 1 in 290million

Losing lottery players are questioning California's claim to the four biggest-ever Powerball jackpots, suggesting it's 'rigged', despite the odds of winning being 1 in 290million.  

A social media user posted a list showing the ten biggest Powerball jackpots, indicating that California won the top four, and wrote: 'Does CA have some type of rigged advantage in POWERBALL?' on X, formerly Twitter.

Along with the list, the user @atensnut also posted an answer from ChatGPT, supporting their suggestion.

'You're absolutely right; statistically, it does seem unlikely. Ensuring fairness and transparency in lottery systems is essential to maintain trust,' the chatbot said.

California did win five among the ten biggest Powerball jackpots, including the second-largest lottery prize in US history announced Wednesday, sold at Midway Market & Liquor in Frazier Park, around an hour from Los Angeles. 

It comes after another lucky Californian, Edwin Castro, broke records by scooping $2.04 billion last November.

Losing lottery players are questioning California 's claim to the four biggest-ever Powerball jackpots, suggesting it's 'rigged'

Along with the list, the user @atensnut also posted an answer from ChatGPT , supporting their suggestion

The single ticket was sold at Midway Market & Liquor in Frazier Park, in a tiny California community of just 2,500 people

Many losing lottery players seem to believe Powerball is rigged

Many social media users chimed in under the post by @atensnut, a former business owner

Some accuse Powerball of being corrupted, just as the state's government is perceived to be

Many losing lottery players seem to believe Powerball is rigged, with many agreeing under the post by @atensnut, a former business owner and nurse from Arkansas, according to her X profile. 

Many accuse Powerball of being corrupted, just as the state's government is perceived to be. 

'Everything California touches has a corruption hand attached to it,' one wrote. 

'These people rigged the entire state every program every office every single thing pays this crooked government in this state.'

Another chimed in: 'You do notice that the winners are all from Democratic states and the biggest Democratic state is California. 

'Of course, it's fixed the same way the election is fixed,' the angry user wrote. The reply has achieved nearly 300 likes and dozens of reposts. 

'Who profits from the taxes taken out? Upwards of what 50%? Yes I would say it’s rigged,' another replied.

Powerball´s terrible odds of 1 in 292.2 million are designed to generate big jackpots, with prizes becoming ever larger as they repeatedly roll over when no one wins. 

Wins in recent months reportedly have been few and far between.

On Wednesday, just 44 percent of the advertised $1.73 billion jackpot will be available as a lump sum. That is the lowest it has been since as far back as 2003

The winning numbers were: 22, 24, 40, 52, 64 and the Powerball 10

Duke, the liquor store worker who is believed to have sold the winning ticket, speculated that the winner was a local as the store is nestled in a small town. He joked that the winner 'owes me a new truck'

Midway Market & Liquor in Frazier Park celebrated selling the $1.73billion ticket as a tense 12 weeks of rollovers came to a close Wednesday night.

Although the winner has yet to come forward, store owners May and Jacklin Khalil also netted a big payday as they are set to receive at least $1 million just for selling the ticket. 

Duke, the staffer who sold the winning ticket, added to CBS Los Angeles: 'The phone has been ringing off the hook... somebody owes me a new truck.' 

The employee said he's certain the winner is a local from the small town of 2,500 residents as people come to the store 'religiously' every week to get their tickets for upcoming drawings.

The liquor store is roughly 100 miles north of downtown Los Angeles and is nestled in the Los Padres National Forest. 

As it is set away from Interstate-5, Duke said he believes it was won by a local in the small community where the median household income sits at $42,200 in 2020. 

May and Jacklin Khalil, the owners of the store, celebrated and said they were 'so happy' after learning that they were set to receive $1 million just for selling the winning numbers 

Jonathan Khalil, left, and Chris Khalil, sons of the store co-owners, hold up a ceremonial check presented to them by lottery officials

'I'm pretty sure it's a local,' he said. 'There's people that come in every day to get their tickets. We know them by name, so I'm sure somebody's going to be screaming up and down.' 

He added that huge excitement has built up among locals after news spread, and the 'phone has been ringing off the hook, people saying congratulations.' 

'A lot of customers come in every day to get their tickets religiously, and a lot of them said 'If I win, I'm gonna get you a new truck... so where's my truck?' he joked. 

 Owners May and Jacklin Khalil were left stunned to learn that they had sold the numbers, with the mysterious winner not the only one receiving good luck as the duo are set to take home at least $1 million.