Includes video report
ATLANTA, Ga. — It's the most wonderful time of the year for Ira Curry. The Stone Mountain woman purchased one of two winning jackpot tickets in Tuesday's $648 million Mega Millions drawing.
She claimed her prize Wednesday morning at Georgia Lottery headquarters.
"It's unreal," said Curry, 56. "It's like I'm still dreaming."
Curry purchased her lucky ticket at Gateway Newstand, 3500 Lenox Road, Atlanta. A second jackpot ticket was sold in California.
Curry selected the cash option, which amounts to $173,819,742.50 before taxes for each jackpot winner. Georgia state income tax of 6 percent and federal income tax of 25 percent are withheld from prizes of more than $5,000 at the time the prize is claimed.
After final game sales were calculated, the jackpot increased from an advertised $636 million to $648 million. The jackpot was the second-largest lottery prize in U.S. history.
Curry was driving Wednesday morning when she heard the retailer location and one of the winning numbers on the radio. She asked her daughter to check her ticket and was stunned.
"I was calm because it was unbelievable," she said.
According to Curry, she hasn't had a chance to think about future plans.
Winning numbers from the drawing were 8, 14, 17, 20, and 39, with Mega Ball number 7.
Curry said the numbers are a combination of family birthdays. She added that seven is the family's lucky number.
She purchased only one Mega Millions ticket for the drawing.
The owners of the Gateway Newstand store that sold the winning ticket will receive no bonus for selling the winning ticket because of Georgia state lottery rules.
Stone Mountain is just outside Atlanta. The suburb is frequently referred to as the hometown of fictional TV character Kenneth Parcell, played by Jack McBrayer, on NBC's "30 Rock."
VIDEO: Watch a press conference clip
Georgia Lottery Corporation president and CEO Debbie Alford said at a press conference that Curry will take the cash option and, after taxes, will rake in $123 million.
Georgia woman claims half of $648 million Mega Millions jackpotGeorgia Lottery officials say Ira Curry, 56, of Stone Mountain, Ga., has come forward as one of the two who struck it rich in the massive Mega Millions jackpot drawing on Dec. 17, 2013.T0M51Shttp://img.youtube.com/vi/G7xFC0uCJ4c/3.jpghttps://youtu.be/G7xFC0uCJ4c2013-12-18T17:33:00-05:00