Imagine the patience it must take: Winning $522 million in the lottery, but sitting on that massive money— we’re talking a half a billion dollars here — for a few weeks before cashing in.

Laarni Bibal did just that. She “took some time before claiming her ticket,” California Lottery officials said in a statement Tuesday to announce that a big winner had come forward.

In June, Bibal bought a $2 Mega Millions ticket at her usual lottery haunt, Sorrento Deli-Mart on Roselle Street in San Diego. No special numbers, just a computer-selected random quick pick : 27, 68, 17, 19 and 40 with 2 as the Mega number.

The day after the June 7 drawing, Bibal heard news of a big winner in the lottery, which is played in 44 states. And the ticket, she learned, had come from that same store.


“My heart started beating really fast!” Bibal told state lottery officials. The state agency did not provide Bibal’s age nor city of residence. Consumer records indicate a link to San Diego County.

Lottery officials said Bibal opted to take some time before coming forward, and that she used the “Lottery Winner’s Handbook” on the state lottery website for information about becoming a new millionaire.

And while she waited to make her claim, she said she kept that very valuable ticket tucked in “a secret hiding place,” but refused to tell lottery officials exactly what that spot was.

“I can’t tell you,” Bibal told officials. “The secret hiding place is still a secret!”


Instead of taking the years-long payout option, Bibal decided to take the cash option, still a hefty $340 million.

According to lottery officials, Bibal going to use the money to pay bills and buy a home.

For selling the winning ticket, Sorrento Deli-Mart gets $1 million.