Mega Millions winner expected to come forward soon
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Posted 7:30PM on Monday, July 22, 2002
CLIFFSIDE PARK, NEW JERSEY - A New Jersey lottery official said Monday that the holder of a winning $165 million Mega Millions lottery ticket will soon submit it to claim their prize. <br>
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The lottery's acting executive director, Carole Hedinger, said ``We've made contact with their attorney and they are coming in.'' <br>
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She said the claim could be made early this week. <br>
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She declined to identify the ticket holder or lawyer until the ticket checks out. <br>
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The ticket for the multistate game was bought July 16 at Evergreen Pharmacy. Lottery officials said the holder, a man, chose the cash option, which is worth $92 million before a 27 percent federal withholding tax. <br>
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The prize is the largest single-ticket win in the New Jersey Lottery's 32-year history. <br>
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The purchaser bought the ticket as a quick pick, meaning the lottery computer randomly chose the winning numbers, 10, 24, 35, 49, 52 and the Gold Mega Ball 47. <br>
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Mega Millions also is sold in Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Ohio and Virginia.