Powerball winners?! Tennessee couple claims they won the jackpot on TODAY Show

A Tennessee couple went on the Today Show Friday morning and claimed to be a victor of the historic $1.6 billion Powerball jackpot.

Appearing live on the Today show in the U.S. overnight, John and Lisa Robinson told how it was the idea of their lawyer – who stood grinning behind them in the studio throughout the interview – who convinced them to speak with reporters before they contacted the lottery company.

Tennessee officials did not immediately say which of the three Munford stores offering Powerball tickets produced the victor.

The Robinsons said they had reached out to NBC on the advice of their lawyer, Joe Townsend.

Lisa said she had written the numbers down to easily keep track when they were announced.

John Robinson said he stopped at Naifeh’s grocery store on his way home from work Wednesday and purchased four tickets.

“Actually, (I was) a little scared because I didn’t know exactly what to do, ” John said. “I don’t want it now”, she said.

Both John, 58, and Lisa Robinson confirmed that they plan on continuing to work at their jobs. “If this were a prank done by her son as they claim, I think it’s somewhat detestable”, Rechnitz told ABC 7. “We didn’t get enough sleep”.

Holders of the two other winning tickets, which were sold in California and Florida, have yet to come forward.

“The victor could be as close as your neighbors!” she said, visibly excited.

“We weren’t meant to win”, Lupe said.

Lottery officials said the couple told them they have “big but realistic plans for their prize” money. It was the largest lottery prize offered in North America and no other lottery in the world had ever featured a jackpot of that size that could be won on a single ticket.

Even a jackpot isn’t enough to buy anonymity for many lottery winners, whose names are often made public by state law.

A Tennessee couple that won a share of the $1.6 billion Powerball jackpot says they are going to take the lump sum cash payout because they are “not guaranteed tomorrow”.

“I really didn’t feel like stopping that night, but I was like, ‘Yeah, I’ll stop, ‘” John said.

Also, the victor in Tennessee is required to deliver the ticket in person to lottery officials.

Why pass up on a certain income totaling more than $200 million?

Robinson carried the precious slip of paper to New York City and back before delivering the ticket Friday to lottery officials in Nashville.

If she splurges on anything, it will be her family, Lisa said.