The subject of the $1.5 billion Mega Millions jackpot has been grabbing headlines for the past few weeks with countless members of the American public anticipating the announcement of the winning lottery number. This past Tuesday, one individual learnt that they would likely never be confronted with another financial woe ever again.
In a recent statement, Gordon Medenica, director of the Mega Millions Group and head of Maryland Lottery and Gaming said “The moment we’ve been waiting for finally arrived, and we couldn’t be more excited. This is truly a historic occasion."
Mega Millions officials announced that a single ticker owner will have the great fortune of claiming the record-setting prize. The winning ticket is said to have been purchased at a South Carolina Convenience store. The $1.537 billion jackpot marks one of the largest prizes in history to ever be awarded to a single ticket holder, second only to the 2016 $1.586 Powerball prize that drew three winning tickets. Officials had predicted that the winner could take home around $1.6 billion, but ticket sales reportedly fell below projections.
The lottery winner is undoubtedly revelling at their good fortune and the fact they will have the option to keep the news private. South Carolina is one of the few states that does not require lottery winners to make their identities public information. The winner has the option to discreetly receive their prize in the form of an annual payment, or claim the $877.8 million in cash.
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