Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: FRIDAY, August 27, 1993 TAG: 9308270194
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: B3 EDITION: STATE
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND LENGTH: Short
The winner had the ticket validated at the lottery's regional office in Hampton but could not come to the headquarters in Richmond until today, lottery spokeswoman Paula Otto said. The winner's name was not released.
The $24.5 million jackpot will be paid out in 20 annual installments of $833,000, after taxes. Just one ticket matched all six winning numbers.
The ticket was purchased at a Farm Fresh store in Newport News. Mike Phillips, a manager at the store, said employees were excited to learn Thursday that one of their customers won the lottery. He declined further comment.
The store will receive $5,000 for selling the ticket.
The largest jackpot in Lotto history was $28.4 million, shared by five players in November. An Australian syndicate that tried to cover all 7.1 million possible six-number combinations won $27 million in February 1992, and two players split a $26.8 million jackpot in August 1991.
"If the latest winner is an individual, it would be the largest prize to be won by just one person," said Cherie Phaup, another lottery spokeswoman.
Since the Lotto game began in January 1990, there have been 335 drawings and 94 jackpot winners, she said.
The winning Lotto numbers drawn Wednesday night were 1, 8, 10, 28, 39 and 42.
The size of Wednesday night's top prize prompted a ticket-buying frenzy. On Wednesday alone, more than 5.4 million tickets were sold. Between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m., tickets were selling at a rate of 10,000 a minute.
by CNB