Six months after the winning ticket was bought at a booze store in Monmouth County, no one knows who won the $1.13 billion Mega Millions jackpot.
The New Jersey Lottery says that the winning ticket was bought at ShopRite Liquor on Route 66 in Neptune Township. Even though the drawing was on March 26, the prize winner still has not shown up.
Officials with the lottery say that the winner has one year from the date of the drawing to claim the prize. That means the person who has the ticket bought in Neptune has just under six months to show who they are before the date on March 26, 2025.
A statement from The New Jersey Lottery said, “It is common for people who win big jackpots to take a while to file a claim. We do urge all players to check their tickets.” Lottery officials also say that the winner should talk to a lawyer and a professional.
A rule that was passed in New Jersey in 2020 lets lottery winners stay anonymous forever. This means that the names of the winners will not be shown on any public documents.
People who have winning tickets will have to show their IDs to Lottery workers in order to get their prizes. The winner’s name will also be given to the state of New Jersey, as state and federal taxes have to be taken out of some jackpots.
“The New Jersey Lottery also shares the identity of winners with other state agencies, and claims are reviewed for collection of unpaid obligations such as child support, student loan arrearages, and back taxes,” officials said.
In New Jersey, it was the biggest prize ever won. In the United States, it was the fifth biggest jackpot ever won. It is worth $537.5 million in cash.
For the Mega Millions drawing on March 26, the numbers that won were 7, 11, 22, 29, and 38. The number for the Gold Mega Ball was 4. The number for the multiplier was 2.
If you have a problem with gaming, the New Jersey Lottery wants you to get help from the Council on Compulsive gaming of NJ by calling their helpline at 1-800-GAMBLER.