Illinois Mega Millions winner to come forward

[April 17, 2012]  RED BUD. (AP) -- The Illinois Lottery says the final winner of the record $656 million Mega Million jackpot has come forward.

Lottery officials said Monday that the single winner will be revealed Wednesday. The other two winning tickets already have been anonymously claimed in Maryland and Kansas.

The Illinois winner will be presented a check for $218.6 million in the small southern Illinois town of Red Bud, where the winning ticket was purchased at a convenience store.

Maryland and Kansas allow lottery winners to claim their prizes anonymously, but Illinois generally requires winners to publically come forward. Illinois lottery officials say the rules help prove that the lottery is paying out its prizes.

The jackpot was the biggest in Mega Millions history.

[Associated Press]

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