The Mega Millions jackpot just got a little bit more “mega” this morning as officials upped their earlier estimate of $355 million to $380 million.
That amount will be split between the holders of two winning tickets, one sold in Washington and the other in Idaho. Today Safeway confirmed its store in Ephrata, Wash., sold one of the winning tickets, and can claim $50,000 for itself for selling one of the winning tickets. There is still no word from Idaho.
The numbers drawn in the second-largest jackpot in U.S. history were: 4, 8, 15, 25, 47, and the Mega Ball number was 42.
Scott Kinney, Washington state Lottery spokesman, said the lucky winner from Ephrata hand-picked the magic numbers at 3:30 p.m. Sunday. The unidentified winner purchased two of the 44 tickets sold that day, playing the same numbers in a different order. His second ticket earned $150.
Lottery officials in Olympia, Wash., have set a press conference for 2 p.m. Pacific where the family holding the winning $190 million ticket will be introduced.
“Idaho is a very lucky place,” said state Lottery Director Jeff Anderson. “We are encouraging everyone who has played Mega Millions to check their tickets carefully for winners.” The odds of having the winning numbers in Tuesday night’s draw were one in 176 million.
Idaho is home to another big winner — Kevin Anderson, of the town of Melba, had five of the six numbers on his ticket, so he’ll get $250,000 before taxes. He had been out of work for two years but recently got a new job. He said he considered the win an early birthday present — he turns 50 on Jan. 25.
“We danced for the next 20 minutes,” Anderson said when he claimed his prize. “I needed another number to quit my job.”
After taxes, he walked out of Idaho Lottery headquarters with a check for $168,000, money he said he and his wife would mostly save, and maybe use to buy a new car.
Their family struggled with finances, he said.
Lottery Director Jeff Anderson said, “We are also recommending all our players sign the back of their tickets prior to presenting it for payment. These tickets are bearer instruments, and we want to ensure our winners protect their play.”
Mega Millions is played in 41 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The jackpot grew to $380 million because Friday night’s drawing failed to produce a winner for the multi-state lottery’s top prize, which was estimated to be $290 million.
It had reached $380 million after 15 consecutive drawings that started Nov. 12.
Mega Millions jackpots begin with $12 million and roll over to the next drawing until there is a winner.
Other smaller monetary prizes can range from $2 to $250,000, depending on how many numbers are matched.
Congrats, You Won; Now What?
As players check their tickets this morning, if you’d won Tuesday’s jackpot, what do you do?
First of all, you would never see the full $380 million. Off the top, the lottery withholds 25 percent for federal taxes, and then another 6 or 7 percent for those who have state taxes, which vary by location. And you still could owe many millions more.
Lee McDaniels won $5 million in September. On Tuesday, he was relaxing on a golf course outside Atlanta.
“After taxes and everything,” he said, “I got about $2.8 million.”
His advice for the big $380 million winner? Take some time to get your affairs together, study up and get a financial adviser.
“I would just take about a month before I would do anything,” he said.
Margaret DeFrancisco of the Georgia Lottery Corp. had more advice.
“Change your phone number and learn how to say ‘no,'” she said.
Then, there’s always the question of whether you should take the annuity or the much lower one-time payment.
Financial analyst Ray Lucia said that, for purposes of this daydream and this huge jackpot, “I’m going to take the annuity payment of about $9 million a year, net of tax.”
For the $380 million jackpot, the annuity would pay $13.6 million each year for the next 26 years, so you won’t be able to spend all of your winnings at once.
The largest Mega Millions jackpot ever won was $390 million in March 2007, according to the Mega Millions website.
Elaine and Harold Messner of Woodbine, N.J., and Eddie Nabors of Dalton, Ga., bought the winning tickets ($195 million each).
{ABC News Internet Ventures/Matzav.com}
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