Winning Mega Millions tix worth $319M sold in NY

NEW YORK (AP) — A New York lottery official says a winning ticket for the Mega Millions lottery jackpot worth $319 million has been sold at a variety store in Albany, N.Y.

New York Lottery spokeswoman Carolyn Hapeman says the winning jackpot ticket for Friday’s drawing was sold at Coulson’s News Center, located just a few blocks from the state Capitol.

Hapeman says final sales numbers raised the annuity value of the prize to $319 million, with a cash value of $202.9 million.

According to the Mega Millions website, the jackpot is the fifth-largest in the game’s history. The biggest jackpot was $390 million in March 2007.

It ranks as the largest jackpot for a single winning ticket in the game’s history, eclipsing the $315 million prize sold in California in November 2005.

Hapeman says the earliest the winner can claim the prize is Monday, because lottery offices are closed for the weekend.

The winning numbers in Friday’s drawing were: 22-24-31-52-54, with a Mega ball of 4.

Hapeman says the holder of the winning jackpot ticket has the option of taking prize over 25 years or as a cash payout.