One lottery ticket wins $205 million Mega Millions jackpot
Posted: 4/25/2005 11:11:58 AM
A Michigan lottery player has won the $205 million grand prize from the latest Mega Millions lotto drawing held on Friday evening.
As of Monday at 11 a.m. EDT, no one has stepped forward to claim the jackpot prize.
Michigan Lottery officials said the winning ticket was sold shortly before 5:30 p.m. EDT Friday at the River District Supermarket in Port Huron, Michigan.
"I'm pleased that a Michigan man or woman is going to be our next Mega Millions millionaire," lottery commissioner Gary Peters said in a news release. The winner must contact Michigan Lottery officials and will have to go to Lansing to get his or her winnings.
River District's owner, Ghanim "Mike" Abro, spent Saturday morning racing around answering phones after hearing on the radio that his store sold the winning ticket.
"My hands have been shaking ever since," Abro said. The store will receive $2,000 for selling the winning ticket.
Abro and his co-workers answered questions all morning from curious customers. Through it all, one man just laughed and plucked down $5 on tickets for the next Mega Millions drawing Tuesday.
Names and rumors about who might have won spread throughout the store, but nobody knew the winner's identity for certain.
If the winner chooses to take a lump sum, the prize will equal $122.6 million before taxes, lottery officials said. If the winner chooses the 26-year annuity option, yearly payments will be $7.9 million before taxes.
In addition to the grand prize winner, 25 players matched all five numbers but not the Mega Ball number. They will receive second prizes of $175,000 each.
Another 137 players matched four numbers, plus the Mega Ball number -- good for third prizes of $5,000 each. Todd from Lottery Post matched 4 numbers for a $150 prize. (Just seeing if you were paying attention.)
The winning numbers from Friday night's drawing were: 23, 25, 43, 46 and 49. The Mega Ball number was 26.
The Texas Megaplier was 3.
Source: Lottery Post Staff
