WASHINGTON — After months without a grand prize winner, someone won the ninth-largest jackpot in Mega Millions history. But because of where the ticket was sold, we may never actually find out who won.
Who won the Mega Millions jackpot?
The single winning ticket, worth an estimated $560 million, was bought in Illinois — one of the states that allows lottery winners to remain anonymous. So, it's possible that the winner will decline to come forward publicly when they do claim their prize.
And even that could take a while. According to the Illinois lottery, Mega Millions and Powerball winners have up to one year from the date of the original drawing to come forward to claim their prize. However, there is one caveat that could entice the winner to not wait that long.
In order for a player to get the lump sum — or cash — payment, the prize must be claimed within 60 days of the drawing date, the Illinois lottery website explains.
When it comes to Mega Millions and Powerball, most winners tend to select the lump sum option. For Tuesday night's winner, that prize would be $260.2 million.
Most lottery jackpot winners stay anonymous if they can, fearing unwanted attention and unscrupulous grabs for the money. Those in favor of identifying winners argue that it helps maintain transparency and public trust in the games.
Lottery officials also usually recommend jackpot winners take some time to calm down and talk to a financial planner before rushing to the nearest lottery office.
Where was the winning Mega Millions ticket sold?
The Illinois Lottery revealed Wednesday that the winning ticket was purchased online. Only nine states, including Illinois, and Washington, D.C., offer ways to purchase Mega Millions tickets online or through their lottery's mobile app