$1.34 Billion Mega Millions Jackpot Winners Come Forward

After nearly two months of wondering who in Illinois won one of the biggest lotteries in U.S. history, the winners have come forward. The staggering $1.34 billion jackpot may sound like it could be the largest amount ever won but it is actually #3. The higher jackpots were $1.537 billion (in 2018) and $1.586 billion (in 2016), according to AP News.

Some of the suggestions for what to do after you learn you have won a large jackpot include:

• Change your phone number
• Wait a few months before making a big purchase like a new vehicle or home
• Most importantly you should get yourself legal and financial advisors immediately.

Personally, I can't even begin to comprehend winning a life-changing amount of money. The thought of it makes me nauseous. Maybe this is why I rarely buy a Mega Millions or Power Ball ticket. In the past, I've tossed money in with a group of people to buy tickets when the jackpot is monstrous or bought in with another person, which is the story of the $1.34 billion winners.

WINNING TICKET RECAP:

The $1.34 billion winning ticket was sold at a Speedway gas station in Des Plaines, Illinois. The rules of Mega Millions allow winners to remain anonymous when claiming their prize.

The winners, yes plural, almost missed an important deadline that would have altered how they collected their moolah. They were two weeks shy of not being able to choose a one lump sum payment. (You can read more about that 60-day rule here.)

What do we know about the winners?

Their names, ages, where they live, or anything that makes them identifiable have not been released. What is known is two individuals claimed the prize as one lump sump. They will split the take-home amount of $780.5 million, which equals a lucrative $345,250,000.