3 mystery winners share US$656m jackpot
Source: Agencies |
April 2, 2012, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
THE largest lottery jackpot in United States history -- a whopping US$656 million - will be shared by the buyers of three winning Mega Millions tickets in Illinois, Kansas and Maryland, but their identities remained a mystery, lottery officials said on Saturday.
A pre-dawn call alerted Denise Metzger, manager of a Motomart convenience store, to news from lottery officials that her store had sold a winning ticket in the tiny farming community of Red Bud in southern Illinois, with less than 4,000 residents, about 48 kilometers southeast of St Louis.
"I screamed, I woke my husband up," said Metzger, whose retail outlet will receive US$500,000 for selling a winning ticket.
The Mega Millions lottery created a stir across the country, with people rushing to buy the US$1 tickets in time for a shot at the humongous jackpot. In all, more than a billion tickets were sold.
At least two of the winners' tickets were "quick picks" - meaning all six numbers of the Mega Millions lottery computer selected the lucky numbers announced at the draw on Friday night in Atlanta: 2-4-23-38-46 and Mega Ball 23.
Lottery officials said winning tickets were purchased at a 7-Eleven store in Milford Mill, Maryland, near Baltimore, and the Motomart convenience store in Red Bud. The Kansas Lottery said a winning ticket was sold in the most populated northeastern part of the state but did not give the precise location.
Winners could receive either a one-time payment of their share or take it in 26 annual installment payments.
The three tickets each are worth more than US$213 million before taxes, if the payout is over 26 years. If taken in a lump sum, the windfall would be US$105.1 million, officials said.
"Each of the winners gets US$105.1 million in cash after taxes roughly, but who cares about pennies at this point?" said Carole Everett, spokeswoman for the Maryland Lottery.
No matter who wins, one certain winner is the US Internal Revenue Service. The taxman subjects lottery winnings of more than US$5,000 to a 25 percent federal withholding tax.
The previous largest Mega Millions jackpot was US$390 million in 2007.
About half the lottery money goes to winnings, 35 percent to state governments and 15 percent to retailer commissions and operating expenses.
A pre-dawn call alerted Denise Metzger, manager of a Motomart convenience store, to news from lottery officials that her store had sold a winning ticket in the tiny farming community of Red Bud in southern Illinois, with less than 4,000 residents, about 48 kilometers southeast of St Louis.
"I screamed, I woke my husband up," said Metzger, whose retail outlet will receive US$500,000 for selling a winning ticket.
The Mega Millions lottery created a stir across the country, with people rushing to buy the US$1 tickets in time for a shot at the humongous jackpot. In all, more than a billion tickets were sold.
At least two of the winners' tickets were "quick picks" - meaning all six numbers of the Mega Millions lottery computer selected the lucky numbers announced at the draw on Friday night in Atlanta: 2-4-23-38-46 and Mega Ball 23.
Lottery officials said winning tickets were purchased at a 7-Eleven store in Milford Mill, Maryland, near Baltimore, and the Motomart convenience store in Red Bud. The Kansas Lottery said a winning ticket was sold in the most populated northeastern part of the state but did not give the precise location.
Winners could receive either a one-time payment of their share or take it in 26 annual installment payments.
The three tickets each are worth more than US$213 million before taxes, if the payout is over 26 years. If taken in a lump sum, the windfall would be US$105.1 million, officials said.
"Each of the winners gets US$105.1 million in cash after taxes roughly, but who cares about pennies at this point?" said Carole Everett, spokeswoman for the Maryland Lottery.
No matter who wins, one certain winner is the US Internal Revenue Service. The taxman subjects lottery winnings of more than US$5,000 to a 25 percent federal withholding tax.
The previous largest Mega Millions jackpot was US$390 million in 2007.
About half the lottery money goes to winnings, 35 percent to state governments and 15 percent to retailer commissions and operating expenses.
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