Mega Millions $494 Million Jackpot Winner in Florida Claimed Her Share, Finally Identified

The Mega Millions winner in Florida, who won half of the $494 million jackpot last October, has finally come forward and been identified. On Wednesday, the Florida Lottery announced that Pamela Baker of Bonita Springs claimed her share of the jackpot.

The 44-year-old managing member of Pineapple Trust chose to receive her prize as a one-time, lump-sum payment of $126,004,016, WINK News reported. Baker matched all six numbers in the October 14 Mega Millions drawing. The winning numbers were 9, 22, 26, 41, 44, and the Mega Ball was 19.

Baker bought the Quick Pick ticket at the 7-Eleven on Colonial Boulevard in Fort Myers. The retailer reportedly received a $100,000 bonus commission for selling the Mega Millions winning ticket.

In a statement, Florida Lottery Secretary John Davis said this "series of jackpot rollovers" has also allowed them "to contribute more than $25 million to education that will greatly benefit" the state's students and schools, WFLA reported.

According to a new law passed in 2022, lottery players who win prizes above $250,000 can have the state hold their identity for 90 days. The next Mega Millions drawing will be held Friday at 11 p.m. ET with an estimated $84 million jackpot.

2 Winners Split the $494 Million Mega Millions Jackpot

Two lucky tickets matched all six numbers in the October 14 Mega Millions drawing. The winners will split the Mega Millions jackpot for about $247 million each.

NBC News reported that aside from the winning ticket sold in Fort Myers, Florida, another ticket was sold in California. The winning ticket in California was also sold at a 7-Eleven on Kooser Road in San Jose, California. In a statement, 7-Eleven noted that it was delighted by the news.

A spokesperson said: "We've always known our customers across the nation are winners! We couldn't be happier that these extra lucky customers won in 7-Eleven stores in Fort Myers, FL and San Jose, CA."

Other Mega Millions Jackpot Winner in California Also Identified

The other Mega Millions winner in California, who also matched the six winning numbers in the October 14 drawing, has been identified as Edward Lojewski.

Lojewski came out to claim his $247 million jackpot prize last month. He previously told California Lottery officials that he bought lottery tickets at the 7-Eleven on Kooser Road every Friday to join in the weekend drawings, hoping to win big, Fox 5 reported.

"I watched the news and saw the winning retailer and knew that was where I bought my tickets... As soon as I saw, I matched the first two numbers; I knew I won," Lojewski said in a news release.

Lojewski intends to use some of his winnings on investments, donate to several charities, and spend it on his family.

"I'm at the point in my life where... I have everything I need. I've been married a long time, but I love my wife more and more every day," he added.

Last month, a single winner in Maine won the second-largest jackpot in Mega Millions history worth $1.35 billion. It was also the first Mega Millions jackpot to be won in Maine.

The first largest jackpot in Mega Millions history was the $1.53 billion, which was won in October 2018 by a ticket holder in South Carolina. The winner decided to take home the lump sum of $877,784,124 before taxes.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: Who Won the $1.35 Billion Mega Millions Jackpot? - From Inside Edition