Mega Millions player in Florida wins $1.58 billion jackpot
ASSOCIATED PRESS
A Mega Millions ticket is seen as a person makes a purchase inside a convenience store, ahead of Tuesday’s Mega Millions drawing of $1.55 billion, Monday, in Kennesaw, Ga. Someone in Florida won a $1.58 billion Mega Millions jackpot Tuesday night, ending a stretch of lottery futility that had stretched for nearly four months.
Someone in Florida won a $1.58 billion Mega Millions jackpot Tuesday night, ending a stretch of lottery futility that had stretched for nearly four months.
A Publix grocery store in Neptune Beach sold the winning ticket, according to the Florida Lottery.
The winning numbers drawn were: 13 19 20 32 33 and the yellow ball: 14.
Before the big win Tuesday night, 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 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 is an estimated $783.3 million.
The prize money is subject to federal taxes. Many states also tax lottery winnings.
Mega Millions is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
