S. Carolina resident claims $1.5 billion Mega Millions jackpot after long delay
COLUMBIA, S.C. _ After a long wait, the person who bought the winning ticket in the $1.5 billion Mega Millions drawing came forward Monday to claim the prize, according to a news release from the South Carolina Education Lottery.
The winner, a South Carolina resident, has chosen to remain anonymous and elected to collect the winnings in a one-time payment of $877,784,124 _ the largest jackpot payout to a single winner in U.S. history, the lottery said in a news release.
South Carolina is one of just a few states _ along with Delaware, Kansas, Georgia, Maryland, North Dakota, Ohio and Texas _ that allows lottery winners to remain anonymous, The State reported.
The winning ticket was sold Oct. 23 at the KC Mart No. 7 on Lee Vaughn Road in Simpsonville, about 90 miles northwest of Columbia in Greenville County, The State reported.
The winner had up to 180 days to claim the prize, said a release from Lottery.net, a site devoted to lottery news. It had been 132 days since the winning ticket was sold.
According to the South Carolina lottery, the person "marvels at how every decision made that day brought the winner to the store, at that very moment, to make the Quick Pick Mega Millions lottery ticket purchase."
The winner let another customer buy a Mega Millions ticket in front of them in line, which " led to an amazing outcome," according to the news release.
_ The State (Columbia, S.C.)
