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The winner of the largest Mega Millions jackpot in history – a whopping $1.58 billion – has come forward in Florida to collect their prize, lottery officials confirmed Wednesday.
Their identity remains unknown, and may for the near future as Florida law allows winners to remain anonymous for up to 90 days from the date the prize was claimed.
Though winners’ names must eventually be made public under Florida law, many in states with similar laws choose to remain anonymous as long as possible while they hire lawyers and get their financial affairs in order.
The jackpot ticket was sold on September 25 at a Publix supermarket in Neptune Beach.
Officials did not reveal whether the winner opted for the lump-sum prize worth about $783.3 million, or the annual annuity option which would give them the full prize parceled out over 30 annual installments.
Lump sum prizes must be collected within 60 days of the drawing, while annuity payouts must begin within 180 days.
While the jackpot is subject to federal tax, the latest winner is especially lucky as Florida has no state income tax.
The winning numbers — 13, 19, 20, 32, 33, and a 14 Mega Ball – were drawn on August 8.
It was the fifth Mega Millions prize worth more than a billion dollars and beat out the second largest – a $1.537 billion jackpot sold in South Carolina in 2018.
Those prizes paled in comparison to the largest jackpot in lottery history – a $2.04 billion Powerball drawing in November, 2022, which was collected by Edwin Castro in California.
He opted for a lump sum payout of $997.6 million, and quickly embarked on a spending spree, purchasing sprawling real estate and luxury cars.
Historically, most winners choose to take the lump sum payment, according to the Multi-State Lottery Association. Though as recently as March, a Virginia $156.7 million jackpot winner chose the annuity option.
Before that Virginia winner – who was allowed to remain anonymous – the last person to take an annuity was in 2014.
Mega Millions players face 1 in 302,575,350 odds of winning a jackpot in any drawing.
With Post wires
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