In a stunning twist of fate, a lucky resident of Florida has emerged as the winner of the largest Mega Millions jackpot in history, raking in an astounding $1.58 billion. The momentous win comes after months of anticipation, with no ticket matching all six numbers since mid-April. The triumphant player, whose identity remains undisclosed, now faces a pivotal decision: to take a staggering single lump sum payment of approximately $757.2 million or opt for the full prize disbursed over 30 annual installments of around $52.6 million.
The winning combination, 13, 19, 20, 32, 33, accompanied by the golden Mega Ball 14, perfectly matched the chosen digits on the fortuitous ticket purchased in Neptune Beach, Florida. This quaint coastal town of just over 7,000 residents lies 16 miles east of Jacksonville, and its newly opened Publix store, where the ticket was sold, is now entitled to a commendable $100,000 bonus.
This monumental windfall eclipses the previous record set in South Carolina in October 2018, where a $1.537 billion Mega Millions prize was claimed. Notably, the odds of clinching the Mega Millions jackpot were a staggering 1 in 302.6 million, surpassing the likelihood of being bitten by a shark or giving birth to identical quadruplets.
While the initial lump sum will be subject to a federal tax of 24 percent, resulting in a substantial $595.3 million payout, the winner could potentially face a federal marginal rate of up to 37 percent, potentially trimming the winnings to $493.5 million. An alternate route of annual payments, unaffected by Florida’s lottery tax, would see yearly installments shrink to around $33.1 million.
The announcement follows a series of eye-popping lottery victories, including a recent billion-dollar Powerball win in California. The recipient of this Powerball prize, whose identity is known, purchased the winning ticket near the homeless encampments of Skid Row. Earlier in the year, another California resident claimed a substantial lump sum from a $2.04 billion drawing, pocketing a remarkable $997.6 million.
