An Illinois resident won more than $1.3 billion in the Mega Millions lottery

First modification: 07/30/2022 – 21:44

Luck smiled on a citizen of the state of Illinois who, from one moment to the next, became a millionaire after acquiring the winning number of the biggest prize in the Mega Millions lottery, the second largest in the history of the United States.

The jackpot, which totaled more than $1.3 billion, will go to the pockets of a civilian who bought his lottery ticket at the Speedy Café Speedway gas station in Des Plaines, US multi-jurisdictional lottery officials said.

The chances of winning were very slim, being only one in 302.5 million. Now the winner, whose identity is still a mystery, has to make a choice to receive their prize.

For one thing, you can credit your $1.3 billion in 30 annual payments over 29 years or in a single cash payment. If to say this last option, the remuneration would be reduced to around 780 million.

At one point the loot was believed to be 1.28 billion, but they eventually raised the number after counting official sales.

The figure escalated to such an onerous reward because since April 15 someone did not have the six winning numbers, leading to 29 consecutive vacant drawings. This time they were 13-36-45-57-67 and the ‘Mega Ball’ was 14.

“Mega Millions players, check your tickets! We have a winner”, the organizers announced through their Twitter account.

While Pat McDonald, one of the officials of the game, added in a press release that they are “eager to know who won” and hope to “congratulate you soon”.

Mega Millions is known as the state lottery despite the fact that it is played in only 45 states, in Washington DC and in the US Virgin Islands, an overseas territory in Central America.

Only in Nevada, Utah, Alabama, Alaska and Hawaii are the tickets that cost two dollars not issued and they can be purchased in markets, gas stations and even in some places abroad.

with EFE