A Mega Millions player in Florida has ended a four-month spell of lottery dryness by clinching the $1.58 billion jackpot on Tuesday night, marking the third largest prize in U.S. history.
The coveted ticket was sold at a Publix grocery store in Neptune Beach, with the winning numbers being 13, 19, 20, 32, 33, and the yellow ball: 14. Before this, there were 31 consecutive drawings without a jackpot winner since April 18, allowing the prize to snowball to its historic amount.
Winning the Mega Millions jackpot is a formidable feat, with odds standing at one in 302.6 million. While the $1.58 billion total would be dispensed over 30 years for annuity selections, winners generally lean towards the lump sum option, which, for this jackpot, approximates $783.3 million. It’s noteworthy that the winnings are subject to both federal and, in many cases, state taxes. The Mega Millions lottery is participated in across 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
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