Mega Millions ticket sold in Florida wins $1.58B jackpot, third-largest in US history
NEPTUNE BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A single ticket sold in Florida is good for a $1.58 billion Mega Millions jackpot, ending weeks of anticipation over who would win the eye-popping top prize.
A Publix grocery store in Neptune Beach sold the winning ticket, according to the Florida Lottery. The winning numbers drawn Tuesday night were: 13, 19, 20, 32, 33, and the yellow ball 14.
A message was left seeking comment Wednesday from Publix. Messages left for the Florida Lottery weren’t immediately returned.
Before the big win, there had been 31 straight drawings since the last time someone won the game’s jackpot on April 18. That enabled the prize to steadily grow to be the third-largest ever in U.S. history.
Mega Millions jackpot winners are so rare thanks to the odds of one in 302.6 million.
The $1.58 billion payout would go to the winner if they opt for an annuity, doled out over 30 years. But people usually prefer a lump sum option, which for Tuesday’s jackpot was an estimated $783.3 million.
The prize money is subject to federal taxes. Many states also tax lottery winnings.
A Florida law that went into effect last year allows the winners of lottery prizes in excess of $250,000 to remain anonymous for 90 days. Also of note, there is also no state income tax in Florida.
Mega Millions is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Neptune Beach has just over 7,000 residents and is 16 miles (26 kilometers) east of Jacksonville on Florida’s Atlantic Coast.
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