Clock ticking for winner to claim $1.5 billion Mega Millions prize
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The clock is ticking for the winner of an unclaimed $1.5 billion lottery jackpot in South Carolina to come forward.
The winning ticket for the Oct. 23 Mega Millions drawing was sold at a KC Mart convenience store in Simpsonville, a suburb of Greenville. The winner has 180 days to come forward. The deadline runs out in 64 days on April 19, South Carolina Lottery spokeswoman Holli Armstrong said.
The $1.5 billion would be paid over 30 years or in an $878 million lump sum. If no one claims the prize, the state will lose out on an estimated $61 million in state income taxes the winner would be required to pay.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The 44 states that participate in the Mega Millions would each get the money they sold in tickets for the prize back. That means South Carolina would only receive $11 million.
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While smaller prizes sometimes go unclaimed, it’s rare for prizes in the millions to go unaware. In 2002, a $63 million Mega Millions jackpot from New York went unclaimed.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Associated Press contributed to this report.