Maryland lottery officials announced early Saturday that their state sold what could become the world's largest lottery payout of all-time, but it wasn't immediately clear if that ticket holder would get sole possession of the $640 million jackpot or have to split it with other winners.Carole Everett, director of communications for the Maryland Lottery, said the winning Mega Millions ticket was purchased at a retailer in Baltimore County. She said it's too early to know any other information about the lucky ticket holder or whether others were sold elsewhere in the nation.
The Baltimore Sun reports the winning ticket was sold at a 7-11.The winning numbers were 02-04-23-38-46, and the Mega Ball 23.
National lottery officials were expecting to list early Saturday
how many winning tickets were sold and from what states, but Maryland
sent out its news release and called media organizations hours before
the scheduled announcement. The headline of its news release said the
winning sale was "one of several nationwide," but Everett told The
Associated Press she couldn't immediately confirm any others.
The
Sun quotes Erica Palmisano, a Maryland lottery spokeswoman. as saying,
"There are definitely a few winners from other states, as well."
Everett said the last time a ticket from the state won a major national jackpot was 2008 when a ticket sold for $24 million.
"We're thrilled," she said. "We're due and excited."
The
estimated jackpot dwarfs the previous $390 million record, which was
split in 2007 by two winners who bought tickets in Georgia and New
Jersey.
Americans spent nearly $1.5 billion for a chance
to hit the jackpot, which amounts to a $462 million lump sum and around
$347 million after federal tax withholding. With the jackpot odds at 1
in 176 million, it would cost $176 million to buy up every combination.
Under that scenario, the strategy would win $171 million less if your
state also withholds taxes.
From coast to coast, people stood in line at retail stores Friday for one last chance at striking it rich.
Maribeth
Ptak, 31, of Milwaukee, only buys Mega Millions when the jackpot is
really big and she bought one on Friday at a Milwaukee grocery store.
She said she'd use the money to pay off bills, including school loans,
and then she'd donate a good portion to charity.
"I know the odds are really not in my favor, but why not," she said.
Sawnya
Castro, 31, of Dallas, bought $50 worth of tickets at a 7-Eleven. She
figured she'd use the money to create a rescue society for Great Danes,
fix up her grandmother's house, and perhaps even buy a bigger one for
herself.
"Not too big -- I don't want that. Too much house to keep with," she said.
Willie
Richards, who works for the U.S. Marshals Service at a federal
courthouse in Atlanta, figured if there ever was a time to confront
astronomical odds, it was when $640 million was at stake. He bought
five tickets.
"When it gets as big as it is now, you'd be nuts not to play," he said. "You have to take a chance on Lady Luck."