Mega Millions lottery: US winner of £1.32 billion jackpot claims prize, where winning ticket was sold

The winner of the $1.6 billion (£1.32 billion) Mega Millions jackpot in August — the third-largest in US history — has come forward to claim the prize, officials have said. In all, Mega Millions has had five prizes of more than a billion dollars.

Under a new Florida law, the winner’s name remains anonymous for 90 days from the date the prize was claimed, which was on September 25, lottery officials said in an email. The lottery did not confirm whether the winner took the lump sum or the annuity and did not specify the estimated lump sum amount.

In Florida, winners have to claim the lump sum within 60 days of the drawing. They have up to 180 days if they choose to go with an annuity, which is paid out in 30 annual installments.

The jackpot is also subject to federal taxes. There is no state income tax in Florida.The winning ticket was sold at a Publix supermarket in Neptune Beach, a town along the Atlantic Coast near Jacksonville.

The largest jackpot was a Powerball ticket in California worth 2.04 billion dollars (£1.68 billion) from the drawing on November 8 2022. Mega Millions is played in 45 states as well as Washington, DC, and the US Virgin Islands.