Winning $319M Mega Millions Lottery Ticket Sold in New York Store
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NEW YORK -- A New York lottery official says a winning ticket for the Mega Millions lottery jackpot worth $319 million has been sold at a variety store in Albany, N.Y.
New York Lottery spokeswoman Carolyn Hapeman says the winning jackpot ticket for Friday's drawing was sold at Coulson's News Center, located just a few blocks from the state Capitol.
Hapeman says final sales numbers raised the annuity value of the prize to $319 million, with a cash value of $202.9 million.
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According to the Mega Millions website, the jackpot is the fifth-largest in the game's history. The biggest jackpot was $390 million in March 2007.
It ranks as the largest jackpot for a single winning ticket in the game's history, eclipsing the $315 million prize sold in California in November 2005.
Hapeman says the earliest the winner can claim the prize is Monday, because lottery offices are closed for the weekend.
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The winning numbers in Friday's drawing were: 22-24-31-52-54, with a Mega ball of 4.
Hapeman says the holder of the winning jackpot ticket has the option of taking prize over 25 years or as a cash payout.