Mega Millions $414 Million Tickets Sold, Both Lottery Winners Haven't Claimed Jackpot
The Mega Millions winning lottery tickets have been sold, although the winners have not come forward to collect their half of the $414 million jackpot. The first winning ticket was sold in La Plata, Md., while the other was sold in Merritt Island, Fla.
The Mega Millions drawing Tuesday made it the third highest in history, behind only the $656 million in March of 2012 and $636 million in December of 2013. The winning numbers on the ticket were 11, 19, 24, 33, 51 with a Mega Ball number of 7.
The winners will be able to claim their prizes of $207 million each, which comes out to about $76.4 million if the Maryland winner uses the cash payout option. Payments spread out over years are also available.
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The winner from Maryland bought their ticket at a store called Lady's Liquor, which has some regular male customers who play with some consistency, according to The Washington Post. The Florida winner bought the ticket from a Sunoco convenience store. Lottery laws state that the owners of the stores will each receive $100,000 for selling the ticket.
It isn't unusual for major lottery winners to wait a while before claiming their prizes: the lucky two people may want to consult legal and financial advice before coming forward. For the Maryland winner, they can choose to remain anonymous, as the state is one of six where lottery winners don't have to reveal their identities to the public.
The Maryland winner has 182 days to claim the prize, while the Florida one has 180. Lottery officials have advised both of them to sign the back of their respective tickets and keep them in a safe place.
