America’s First Billion Dollar Lottery Winner: Only One Person Holds The $1.6 Billion Ticket

OK, this is super easy. You’ve only got to do two things and you’re a billionaire.

First, live in South Carolina. And second, be holding a Mega Millions ticket dated October 23 with the numbers 5, 28, 62, 65, 70 with a Mega Ball of 5.

See? Simple.

Only one ticket in the record-breaking $1.6 billion Mega Millions jackpot hit all the numbers in Tuesday’s drawing. The winner — still unknown and because of state law, can remain anonymous — took the largest single lottery prize in history anywhere in the world.

The U.S. lottery has topped $1 billion before. In 2016, the Powerball jackpot hit $1.5 billion, but three winners split the prize.

The winner can opt for a lump cash payment of $904 million or receive the $1.6 billion prize over 29 years. So, the winner, should they take the lump, will pay $335 million in federal taxes, plus $64 million in state taxes. That means the winner will have to make do with just $505 million, or $53 million a year of they take the long-term payout.