Florida Winner Claims Share of $494 Million Mega Millions Jackpot

On October 14th, Pamela Baker of Bonita Springs claimed her share of the $494 million Mega Millions jackpot. She chose to receive it as a one-time lump sum payment.

Florida Lottery officials reported that the winning ticket matched all six numbers drawn on Friday -- 9, 22, 26, 41, 44 and the Mega Ball 19 -- without fail.

1. Pamela Baker of Bonita Springs

Pamela Baker of Bonita Springs, Florida has claimed her share of the $494 million Mega Millions jackpot. According to the Florida Lottery, Baker - a managing member of Pineapple Trust - claimed her portion on Wednesday.

The winning ticket was sold at a 7-Eleven in Fort Myers, Florida and correctly matched five numbers. According to the lottery results, the winner chose to receive their money as an one-time lump sum payment.

Pam Baker is a lawyer specializing in estate planning, elder law and probate law. She provides her services from her office in Naples, Florida where she has been recognized by Naples Illustrated as a top attorney for trusts and estates. Furthermore, Pam is part of Lawyers With Purpose - an organization dedicated to aiding seniors - which she joined earlier this year.

She has been a member of the Florida Bar since 1990 and holds dual licenses to practice in state and federal courts. Furthermore, she belongs to both Florida Association of Women Lawyers and American Bar Association.

Pamela Baker is the mother of three children, aged 13, 15 and 17. In her free time she enjoys golfing, swimming and going to the beach with her family. After moving to Southwest Florida in 2005, she enjoys these activities with her kids.

This year's third Mega Millions winner hails from Florida; with the jackpot reaching an incredible $1.537 billion in October, it became the largest lottery prize ever awarded in American history.

Though this was an impressive win, it didn't make the top 10 Mega Millions jackpots in America. The next drawing will take place Friday night at 11 p.m. with an estimated $84 million jackpot.

The jackpot has been reset to $1.025 billion, the same amount it was in September. This remains the third-largest jackpot in Mega Millions history. Unfortunately, no jackpot winner has been picked in over three months and 2018 remains without a winner as well. There remains a life-altering consolation prize of $2.9 million up for grabs though.

2. The winning ticket was sold in California

California boasts some of the nation's biggest jackpots, and one lucky local resident in Altadena was the lucky recipient. Joseph Chahayed - owner of Joe's Service Center in Altadena - reported receiving a check for $1 million for selling the winning ticket.

Powerball was not only the lucky ticket who won the grand prize, but it's also history as this is only the second time ever that a ticket has actually made it to victory. While those who played must wait patiently for their reward - winning an award is always rewarding - but how long will it take before someone takes home that coveted cash? The biggest question now is: when will that jackpot finally reach its rightful owner?

3. The winning ticket was purchased at a 7-Eleven in Fort Myers

One of the two winning tickets for the $494 million Mega Millions jackpot was purchased at a 7-Eleven convenience store in Fort Myers, Florida. It matched all six numbers including the Mega Ball from Friday night's drawing and earned its retailer an additional $100,000 bonus commission.

This victory offers some solace to those affected by Hurricane Ian last month, when it made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane and claimed more than 100 lives - making it the third-deadliest storm to strike America this century.

Following Hurricane Ian, many residents in Fort Myers were still working to rebuild their homes and businesses. State officials indicated that a portion of the lottery prize could be used for these rebuilding efforts.

According to the Florida Lottery, the winning ticket was purchased at 7-Eleven on 2980 Colonial Boulevard in Fort Myers. It matched all six numbers drawn - 9-22-22-241-44 and the Mega Ball of 19, as reported by the lottery.

Although this Mega Millions jackpot isn't as large as some of the other prizes offered, it still represents an impressive sum. It is the 11th largest in the game's history and second-largest prize for 2022.

The Florida Lottery announced that the jackpot has been split between a winner and someone in California, making each of them a $247 million winner. They can claim their prizes as either one lump sum or through weekly payments, according to the lottery rules.

In addition to the jackpot prize, there are other smaller prizes available as well. In past years, lottery winners have kept their identities anonymous through legal trusts.

Florida lottery winners have the option to remain anonymous for 90 days after claiming their prize of $250k or more, thanks to a new law that permits them to take the money in one lump sum payment. This law ensures that lottery winners remain anonymous during this period.

Although this is an impressive win, it still only accounts for a tiny portion of the nearly half a billion dollars won in the October 14 drawing. The Mega Millions jackpot has remained unchanged since its inception four years ago in 2013.

4. The winning ticket was purchased in Florida

On Friday night's $494 million Mega Millions lottery, a Florida Quick Pick ticket sold at 7-Eleven in Fort Myers was revealed as the winner. According to a press release from the Florida Lottery, that retailer will receive $100,000 bonus commission for selling the winning ticket.

The Florida winner chose to accept their prize as a one-time, lump sum payment of $126,004,016. She intends on using the funds for debt repayment, saving for a vacation, and giving back to charity.

Pamela Baker of Bonita Springs, Florida claimed her share of the October 14 drawing. She chose cash instead of annuity because she desired more control over her future finances.

Florida became the ninth state to join Mega Millions in May 2013, becoming its ninth member. Players still have the freedom to select either cash or annuity options; however, in Texas and New Jersey they must select either option before purchasing a ticket.

Florida stands out among other states by not taxing jackpot winners on their prize amount. This allows winners to receive their total lottery earnings either as a lump sum or monthly payments under annuity options. On average, these yearly payments increase by about 5% each year.

No state tax applies to lottery winnings; however, the federal government imposes a withholding rate of 24% on all taxes that must be paid. To find out how much taxes you might owe if you win Mega Millions, utilize our payout and tax calculator.

Mega Millions' jackpot has six times reached $1 billion, but winning the prize is highly unlikely. At present, it stands at $454 million with only one in 302.6 million chance of being victor. While buying multiple tickets may increase your odds slightly, each ticket still only has a one in 302.6 million chance of being successful.