It has been nearly one month since a lucky Chicago resident bought the winning Mega Millions ticket from a Speedway gas station in Des Plaines, Illinois.
But, the $1.337 billion jackpot– the third largest of all time– has shockingly remained unclaimed.
The odds of winning this monstrous pot were about 1 in 302.5 million, and the winning numbers were: 13-36-45-57-67.
“For a prize of this magnitude, it is not unusual for the winner to take a while to claim. I am sure they are going through a range of emotions,” explained Harold Mays, the Illinois Lottery Director, on August 5.
Nonetheless, it has now been almost an entire month– and officials are getting antsy.
In fact, they are even now encouraging lotto buyers to double-check their old tickets. So, dig through your pockets and check your glove compartment if you bought a ticket from the Des Plaines Speedway– because as of right now, the winner may very well be you.
And if you are the winner of this jackpot– or any moving forward– the Illinois Lottery has detailed the three key steps you must take.
First, sign the back of your ticket immediately and store it in a safe location. Next, seek out a financial advisor and a lawyer. After all, knowing what to do with this whopping pot is likely not easy for most people.
And finally, once your affairs are in order, you can contact the Lottery Player Hotline at 1-800-252-1775 to set up a private appointment and officially claim your prize.
LIGHTFIELD STUDIOS – stock.adobe.com – illustrative purpose only, not the actual person
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Of this $1.337 billion pot, the lucky winner will receive $708.5 million in cash. The Speedway retailer will also receive a bonus of half a million dollars.
The winner still has eleven months to come forward and claim their prize and about thirty more days to claim the cash option.
However, even if the lucky person does come forward, we may never know who they are– because winners of prizes valued at over two hundred and fifty thousand dollars do have the option to remain anonymous.
And the Illinois Lottery Director has pledged to protect the victor’s identity if they so choose.
“We will work closely with the winner to respect any wishes for privacy and support them in any way we can to provide a positive winning experience,” Mays underscored.
For more information on claiming this jackpot or others in the state of Illinois, you can visit the Illinois Lottery website linked here.
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