A Mega Millions ticket sold in Florida wins 1.58 billion dollars jackpot

A single ticket sold in Florida is good for a 1.58 billion dollars (£1.24 billion) Mega Millions jackpot, ending weeks of anticipation over who would win the eye-popping top prize.

A Publix grocery store in Neptune Beach sold the winning ticket, according to the Florida Lottery.

The winning numbers drawn on Tuesday night were: 13, 19, 20, 32, 33 and the yellow ball 14.

Before the big win, there had been 31 straight drawings since the last time someone won the game’s jackpot on April 18.

That enabled the prize to steadily grow to be the third-largest ever in US history.

Mega Millions jackpot winners are so rare thanks to odds of one in 302.6 million.

The 1.58 billion dollars payout would go to the winner if they opt for an annuity, doled out over 30 years. But people usually prefer a lump sum option, which for Tuesday’s jackpot was an estimated 783.3 million dollars (£615 million).

The prize money is subject to federal taxes. Many states also tax lottery winnings.

A Florida law that went into effect last year allows the winners of lottery prizes in excess of 250,000 dollars to remain anonymous for 90 days. Also of note, there is also no state income tax in Florida.

Mega Millions is played in 45 states, Washington, DC and the US Virgin Islands.

Neptune Beach has just over 7,000 residents and is 16 miles east of Jacksonville on Florida’s Atlantic Coast.