$1.6 Billion Mega Millions Jackpot: Florida Winner Claims Massive Price

The winner of last month's Mega Millions jackpot, which amounted to a staggering $1.6 billion, has stepped forward to claim the prize, AP reports.

This jackpot marked the third-largest in US history, and Mega Millions has seen a total of five prizes exceeding a billion dollars.

Under a new Florida law, the identity of the winner is kept confidential for 90 days from the date the prize was claimed, which occurred on September 25.

In Florida, winners are required to claim the lump sum within 60 days of the drawing. Alternatively, they have up to 180 days if they choose to receive the prize in the form of an annuity, which is disbursed in 30 annual installments.

While the jackpot is subject to federal taxes, Florida does not impose a state income tax.

The winning numbers for this record-breaking drawing were 13, 19, 20, 32, and 33, with the Mega Ball being 14. The Megaplier for this draw was 2X.

The Florida Mega Millions Jackpot Winner

The Florida Lottery identified the winner of the $1.602 billion jackpot as "EXEMPT PURSUANT TO FS 24.1051," per Yahoo! News.

To clarify, in 2022, state law rendered the name of a winner of a prize valued at $250,000 or more confidential, making it unavailable for public inspection or copying.

However, there is a significant detail to consider: after 90 days, the winner's name is no longer confidential under this law.

Consequently, on December 25, 2023, the Florida Lottery may legally disclose the name of the jackpot winner.

According to lottery documents, the winner opted for the cash option of $783,300,000, while the retailer who sold the winning ticket received a $100,000 bonus commission.

Meanwhile, one record-setting lottery prize from this year remains unclaimed: a $1.08 billion Powerball jackpot won in California in July.

As of September 26, the California Lottery had yet to confirm a winner for this significant jackpot.

Winners of such substantial payouts have a full year from the drawing date to claim their prize in California, and the California Lottery is legally required to publicize their full name so their identity will eventually be known.

Mega Millions Jackpot Reaches $230 Million

The Mega Millions jackpot, which was up for grabs again on a recent Tuesday, had reached an impressive $230 million, USA TODAY noted.

The winning numbers for that draw were 15, 30, 35, 42, and 60, with the Powerball being 16 and the Megaplier at 4X.

When playing Mega Millions, participants have the option to select six numbers: the first five are chosen from a range of 1 to 70 for the white balls, while the last number is selected from 1 to 25 for the coveted golden Mega Ball.

For those who prefer a random selection, Easy Pick or Quick Pick is available to generate the numbers. In some states, you can choose to add a Megaplier for an additional dollar, potentially increasing your non-jackpot winnings by a factor of 2, 3, 4, or even 5 times.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Bert Hoover

WATCH: Mega Millions $1.6B jackpot winner comes forward in Florida - From New York Post