The history-making Mega Million lottery made three ticket-holders in Illinois, Kansas and Maryland fabulously wealthy as they will share in the $656 million jackpot that created a lottery-buying frenzy last week.
The winning numbers were 2-4-23-38-46 and Mega Ball 23.
The Maryland winning ticket was sold by a 7-Eleven in Milford Mill, Md., near Baltimore.
The Illinois ticket was sold by a Motomart convenience store in the town of Red Bud in southern Illinois.
The Kansas ticket was sold at an unannounced location in northeast part of Kansas.
So far, no word on the identities of the winners.
Winners could get a one-time payment, called the cash option, for their share or take it in 26 annual installments.
The three tickets were worth more than $213 million before taxes, if the payout was as an annuity paid over 26 years. The cash option was worth an estimated total of $473 million, or about about $157 million for each winning ticket.
Tickets were being purchased so furiously that even after an announcement that there were winning tickets, the Mega Millions website had to update how much the jackpot was for and news organizations have been reporting varying amounts.
Image: Salvatore Vuono
Tonight’s Mega Millions might also become the biggest Mega Millions jackpot won by a single ticket holder!
The odds are beyond long, but the downside is nearly nonexistent — if you don’t count a broken heart when someone else walks away with the avalanche of cash.
Total overlay at this point. Take a chance and have fun.
Great point. It’s a rare day when you’re chances of winning are 1 in 176 million and it’s a terrific bet.