When Illinois announced the sale of the winning ticket, it was one of the greatest lottery winners in history—a windfall that had been building for months.
The Mega Millions lottery was named for a reason, and on Friday, July 29, 2022, the third-highest jackpot ever was chosen, offering a staggering $1.337 billion to the lucky ticket. The winning numbers—13, 36, 45, 57, and 67 with a Mega Ball of 14—matched just one ticket nationwide, lottery officials announced after some delay.
This most recent Mega Millions winner looks to be the second-largest single ticket jackpot ever recorded, trailing only a $1.586 billion Powerball draw from 2016 that was shared between three winning tickets. They undoubtedly claimed it right away, right? Okay, no…
The jackpot winner of the Mega Millions game?
It was confirmed by Illinois lottery officials that the $1 billion winning ticket was purchased at a Speedway gas station and convenience shop in the little city of Des Plaines, population 60,000. The city, which is about 17 miles northwest of Chicago, served as the location for the majority of The Breakfast Club (1985) filming at the now-defunct Maine North High School.
A month after the draw, it still seems unbelievable to some that the lottery winner hasn’t claimed their prize. Of course, it is conceivable that they would decide to do so anonymously to avoid the strong rumours and potential for attracting scammers’ attention, but we would still be able to tell that the information had been gathered.
Harold Mays, head of the Illinois Department of the Lottery, said, “We don’t know whether or not they even know that they won a prize. “Therefore, I urge everyone to check their ticket.”
Given that the winning ticket was purchased at a gas station, it’s likely that the lucky winner was just passing through the neighbourhood or hails from a different location. Additionally, the winner might have been travelling from or to… well, anywhere as the Speedway where the ticket was purchased is only a few miles from O’Hare International Airport.
Why do some lotto winners choose to go unidentified?
One of the many challenging decisions that lottery winners must make is whether or not to stay anonymous. The natural tendency of many people would be to spread the good news, yet doing so could upend their lives and attract undesirable characters.
Financial advisor Emily Irwin told CNBC that privacy is important. That protects you and your family from con artists and other people who might try to take advantage of you.
Given the financial ramifications of winning such an enormous lot of money, the winner should undoubtedly think about employing a group of experts to make sure that the life-changing amount of money alters things for the better. They might run out of money earlier than anticipated if they are not current on the tax ramifications of a $1 billion windfall.
How much time remains till the lotto ticket expires?
It can take as little as a few months depending on the criteria, but there are numerous restrictions on how long lottery winners must wait to claim their prize.
In regards to this specific situation, you still have some time to wait if you’re hoping that the $1 billion prize will be made available for individuals to try again. The ticket owner has a full year to make a claim, so this discussion would be relevant until July 2023.
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