Winner Leaves $1.1B Mega Millions Jackpot Abandoned, Remaining 'Unclaimed' Months After Drawing
The clock is ticking for the winner of a $1.13 billion Mega Millions jackpot.
New Jersey Lottery officials said records show a winning ticket was sold before the drawing, but as of this week, the winner still had not come forward.
“The $1.13 billion Mega Millions jackpot from Tuesday, March 26, that was won by a single ticket in Neptune, New Jersey, remains unclaimed at this time,” the organization announced in a news release on its website.
It added: “New Jersey Lottery recommends that the winner sign the ticket, make copies of it, contact professional legal and financial advisors, and call us at 1-800-222-0996 to file the claim.”
The ticket was purchased at a ShopRite Liquor store on Route 66 in Monmouth County, according to the New York Post.
It was billed as the fifth largest in Mega Millions history.
The $1.13 billion jackpot (lump-sum cash value: $537.5 million) amassed over 31 weeks without a winner until the March 26 drawing.
The winning numbers were 7, 11, 22, 29, 38, the gold Mega ball was 4 and the multiplier number was 2, according to WABC-TV.
So how long does the lucky winner have to claim the big prize?
According to the New Jersey Lottery website FAQs, if you snooze for more than a year — you lose.
“For all prizes in any of our live drawing games, you have up to one year from the date of the original drawing within which to cash in your winning ticket,” the site cautioned.
“After that, the ticket is expired and can no longer be claimed.”
What if the winner wants to avoid publicity?
The Lottery statement explained that state law allows winners to remain anonymous “indefinitely.”
“The identity of winners will not be included in materials available to public inspection under the State’s Open Public Records Act,” the release said.
Winners do have to prove their identity to claim any prize worth $600 or more, and state and federal taxes are required to be withheld.
But while they won’t be named or pictured in news releases if they desire anonymity, the winners’ names will be shared with other state agencies, who may take an active interest in the winner’s newfound financial status.
“[C]laims are reviewed for collection of unpaid obligations such as child support, student loan arrearages, and back taxes,” the lottery said.
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