#megamillions Washington family steps forward to claim $157 million Mega Millions jackpot

March 23rd, 2016

RELEASE DATE: 3/24/2016

On Thursday, March 24, Washington resident Michael Burkett stepped forward as the winner of the $157 million Mega Millions jackpot. The jackpot had remained unclaimed since the drawing on Tuesday, March 8. Burkett presented the ticket at Washington's Lottery headquarters in Olympia, together with his family.

The winner purchased one $5 Mega Millions ticket at a Seattle-area 7-Eleven (9200 35th Ave, SW Seattle WA 98126) using Quick Pick. He chose the one-time cash payment option before taxes of $102.8 million.

After the reality of winning settled in, the winner's first purchase was an Alienware PC from Dell. The man, who is a fan of electric vehicles, also shared that he has his eye on a new red Tesla.

In addition to the jackpot, Washington also had 36,231 smaller prize winners from the March 8 Mega Millions drawing. These prizes ranged from $1 - $5,000.

This is Washington's fourth Mega Millions jackpot winner. In January 2011, an individual won a $380 million Mega Millions jackpot, splitting the prize with another winner in Idaho.

Proceeds from Washington's Lottery benefit the Washington Opportunity Pathways Account, providing grants to college students statewide. To learn more about Washington's Lottery, its beneficiaries and to review all up-to-date winning numbers, please visit www.walottery.com.   

WASHINGTON'S LOTTERY: Since 1982, Washington's Lottery has generated more than $3 billion to support important state programs including the Washington Opportunity Pathways Account. Money in the Pathways Account goes toward helping students achieve their higher education dreams and supports early childhood education learning programs. The state's Lottery offers consumers several types of games: Mega Millions, Powerball, Lotto, Hit 5, Match 4, Daily Game, Daily Keno and Scratch. For more information, visit www.walottery.com or join our online community on Facebook at www.facebook.com/walottery and follow us on Twitter @walottery.

Media contact: Stephanie Kirk (Curator on behalf of Washington's Lottery), (206) 973-5569

This press release is mirrored from http://www.megamillions.com/. We do not own a copyright on it and we are not the original press contact.

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