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Winners of $66.9M Mega Millions jackpot come forward, couple played same numbers for years

The couple will go unnamed while claiming the largest prize issued so far under the state's new anonymity law.

ROSEVILLE, Minn. — A married couple will begin a new chapter in their lives together after stepping forward to claim a Mega Millions lottery jackpot of $66.9 million. 

The couple has chosen to remain unnamed while claiming the largest prize so far since passage of Minnesota's new anonymity law, which says unless the jackpot winner chooses to go public, their name and home city will not be released.

As of Sept. 1, 2021, the names and cities of lottery prize winners above $10,000 are considered private data.

Lottery officials say the winners went on their first date on April 17, 1990, sharing a pizza and buying scratch-off tickets on the first official day Minnesota Lottery tickets were sold. 

In the time since, the woman lotto officials are calling "Ms. Lottery Winner" has been playing basically the same numbers for years. On the night of their winning drawing she had dozed off, woke to see that it was after 10 p.m. and checked the Mega Millions numbers on her cell phone. There they were, her familiar combo:  2-8-14-20-31, Mega Ball 17.

Ms. Lottery Winner immediately messaged her husband, who was watching sports in the basement. "I texted him, ‘Come up here right now, I’m not even kidding.’” He sprinted up the stairs, and she showed him her phone. “Are those your numbers? Do you have a ticket?”

Both went to work the next day, and then began assembling a team that includes a lawyer, financial advisor and an accountant before stepping forward to claim the prize. 

As for what they'll do with the money, the couple said their immediate plans are pretty typical: Purchase a house and car, and travel.

The jackpot-winning ticket was purchased at the Ramsey Holiday Station store at 14350 Xkimo St. NW. The business earned a $50,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.

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