According to the Florida Lottery, the second-largest lottery winner in U.S. history has graciously stepped forward to claim their astounding $1.6 billion prize. However, it is worth mentioning that their identity may potentially remain confidential for an additional 90 days.
According to a recent press release from the Florida Lottery, the Mega Millions winnings were successfully claimed on Monday, approximately seven weeks after the August 8 drawing. It is worth noting that Florida is among the 45 states, along with Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands, participating in the Mega Millions lottery.
The lottery conducted 31 biweekly drawings without any winners until a shopper at a Publix supermarket in Neptune Beach, located about 15 miles east of Jacksonville, successfully matched all six numbers. On August 8, the winning numbers were 13, 19, 20, 32, and 33, with the Mega Ball number being 14. Mega Millions has announced that the jackpot prize of $1.602 billion is the largest in the history of the lottery, surpassing the $1.537 billion prize won in South Carolina in 2018. This places it in second position, trailing behind the current record set by rival lottery Powerball, which awarded a $2.04 billion jackpot for a ticket sold in California in November 2022, according to the Powerball website.
Florida Mega Millions winners have the choice to receive the full amount as an annuity over a period of 30 years or opt for a total cash payment of $794.2 million, as indicated on the Mega Millions website. It is important to note that the winnings are subject to federal taxes, while no income tax is applicable in Florida.
According to Florida law, lottery winners who win more than $250,000 are not obliged to disclose their identity until 90 days after claiming the prize. It is worth noting that the likelihood of winning the jackpot with a $2 ticket is approximately 1 in 300 million.
According to the Multi-State Lottery Association, it has been a common practice for most big prize winners to opt for receiving their prizes as a one-time payment. Mega Millions is widely played across 45 states, including Washington, D.C. and the US Virgin Islands.
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