Number cruncher to see lots of zeroes after lotto win

TRENTON, N.J. — The New Jersey accountant who held the sole winning ticket for last month’s $315.3 million Powerball jackpot said Friday that he had just refinanced his home to send his daughter to college.

Tayeb Souami, a 55-year-old Little Ferry man, was an accountant for a food importing company but quit his job.

Originally from Africa, Souami came to the United States in 1996. The married father of two decided to take the money in a lump sum, so he’ll get slightly more than $183 million after taxes.

Souami had bought two tickets for the May 19 drawing at a ShopRite grocery store in Hackensack when he was returning some orange juice.

He found out he was the winner the next day. He said he was on his way to a car wash when he saw a 7-Eleven and stopped in to check his Powerball tickets.

“When I went inside, I scanned the first ticket and it wasn’t the winner. The second ticket was good, but the machine said it must be seen by the retailer,” he said.

Souami said he was so nervous after realizing he had won that he had trouble driving home.

He said he will talk to a financial adviser about what to do with the money, but added that one of the first things he will do is take care of his family.

He had just refinanced his house to send his daughter to college, he said.