Mysterious $49 Million Mega Millions Winner Comes Forward

Thursday, August 24, 2006 posted 04:11 AM EDT

(Baltimore) – The waiting is over. The winner of the $49 million Mega Millions jackpot walked into Lottery Headquarters this morning. Accompanied by his wife, a family friend and his lawyer, the nervous winner showed Lottery officials the $49 Million ticket from the July 18th Mega Millions drawing. The winner, who wished to remain anonymous, is from Prince Georges County, MD.

The teary-eyed new millionaire said it had been an anxious few weeks since learning that he had won. To secure his ticket, he initially placed the $49 million piece of paper in a safe in his home. That is, until today.

He first learned of his win the morning after the drawing, when reading the paper. “I always read the Metro section first to check the numbers,” he said. After checking the numbers many times, he was overcome with emotion. “I cried, thanked Jesus and immediately called my wife.” She could not understand her husband through his tears. “I thought something was wrong with the kids,” she said. Eventually, he was able to tell her, “Baby we finally did it.”

During the claiming process, the winner said he was in a state of disbelief, shocked but happy. The winner chose the Cash Option, which means he will take home approximately $27 million after taxes.

As for immediate plans for the new multi-millionaires? “We are going on vacation with our two children and grandchildren.” The happy winners also plan to help pay for their children’s college education, give money to charity and the church and save the rest.

This latest winner is the eleventh in Maryland’s Mega Millions history. He will join other big Maryland winners, including Bernadette Gietka, who won $183 million in 2003, a Silver Spring couple, who won $109 million in 2004, and a $60 million winner from Millersville, back in 1999.

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