(CNN) — A life-altering payday will soon be in store for one lucky New Jersey Lottery winner.
The winner of a $1.128 billion Mega Millions jackpot has finally come forward to claim their staggering windfall nearly nine months since the ticket was drawn, according to a New Jersey Lottery press release.
Lottery officials say the jaw-dropping prize is the fifth-highest in the game’s nearly three-decade history.
The winning ticket was drawn on March 26 at a ShopRite supermarket in the coastal township of Neptune, according to the Lottery.
Like many other lottery winners, the lucky ticket holder has opted to take a cash prize, which is $537.5 million before federal and state taxes are taken out, lottery officials say.
The player “values privacy” and has chosen to remain anonymous, according to the lottery, thanks to a law passed in 2020 that allows lottery winners to conceal their identities in public records indefinitely. Officials say it is not uncommon for winners to wait before coming forward to claim their prize, as they have a full year to do so.
The state of New Jersey raised $77 million in ticket sales from this drawing, and the ShopRite that sold the winning ticket will receive a $30,000 bonus commission.
Mega Millions drawings are held every Tuesday and Friday around 11:00 p.m. ET. The next drawing is on Christmas Eve – and the jackpot stands at $970 million – the ultimate holiday bonus!
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