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A small piece of brittle paper that has crossed the counter of a convenience store on a South Carolina country road is now worth $ 1.537 billion; lottery officials can not be blamed if they seem a little anxious. (October 24)
AP
GREENVILLE, SC – Four months after the first Mega Millions jackpot in South Carolina, the incredible $ 1.5 billion gain remains unclaimed.
This leaves two months before the six-month deadline to cash out the winning lottery ticket – and more time to speculate on what takes the person so long to collect his winnings.
The winning ticket of the October 23 draw was sold to Simpsonville's KC Mart # 7 and the signs on the showcase indicate: "We sold a $ 1.5 billion Mega Millions ticket".
Nevertheless, the unclaimed jackpot remains mysterious while the convenience store and the state representatives are waiting for the winner.
"It was not me," laughed Ray Black while checking the numbers of a lottery ticket at KC Mart # 7.
More: Winner of the South Carolina Lottery, where are you? $ 1.5 billion unclaimed and time is running out
Missing millions
The winning ticket holder could have accumulated millions of interest over the last four months.
Hans Blake, the main owner of Intelligent Investing, did the math and calculated that if the winner had recovered the $ 878 million offered as a lump sum payment in October and deposited them in a savings account with a rate of interest of 2%, this money $ 5.8 million over the last four months.
Investing in the stock market at a 7% rate of return would have generated about $ 20 million more over the last four months, added Blake.
While the jackpot continues to not be claimed, the owners of the KC Mart # 7 and the State of South Carolina can not cash it either.
The winner would pay about $ 60 million in income taxes.
The KC Mart # 7 also can not claim its share of the winnings, about $ 50,000 before taxes, said store manager Gee Patel.
More: "I can not even count that number": $ 1.537 billion worth of Mega Millions tickets sold in a South Carolina store
If the jackpot is not claimed, the money returns to the states that contributed to the jackpot. The amount is based on ticket sales. South Carolina's share would be about $ 11.2 million, said South Carolina Education Lottery spokeswoman Holli Armstrong.
Who is the winner of Mega Millions SC?
Patel said the lucky ticket had continued to attract customers in hopes that the lightning in the lottery will go off twice.
They buy "everything" in the lottery, said Patel.
Many customers ask Patel if he knows who the winner is, but he is just as curious as they are. He has a theory on why the ticket holder has not yet claimed the money.
"Maybe they put everything in order, you know," Patel said.
Kent Early bought scratches in a recent afternoon at KC Mart # 7. He said he occasionally buys tickets for weekly draws.
"From time to time, one evening when I know that they are about to draw, if I remember correctly, and that it is practical, and that I go through there, I m" will stop to pick a few numbers for the Powerball or Mega Millions, "said Early.
Rumors about the winner have flown in town since the draw. Early stated that he had heard that "it was the guy from Fountain Inn or the one from Gray Court or the guy here or there … but nobody knows it."
Dale Parker said he heard the rumors in October, but the person's identity remains a mystery.
Parker does not play the lottery, but "I would have liked to play it that day," he said.
Read or share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/02/23/mega-millions-unclaimed-lottery-ticket/2963048002/
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