A ticket sold in South Carolina matched all six numbers in the US’s almost $1.6bn (£1.24bn) Mega Millions lottery draw, the state’s lottery has said on its website.
The ticket matched the five numbers 5, 28, 62, 65, 70 and the mega ball 5 that were drawn on Tuesday night. Anyone who matched all six can choose an immediate cash payment of $904m or receive the almost $1.6bn over 29 years.
Lottery officials said the final sales numbers showed the winning lottery jackpot was just shy of the all-time world record.
On Wednesday morning, lottery officials said the earlier estimate of $1.6 bn would have been a world record for lotteries, but actual sales came in just short of the estimate for a total of $1.537bn if paid out over 30 years, or about $877.8m in a lump-sum cash payment.
