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Lottery officials: Powerball winner identified, but wants to stay anonymous

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Lottery officials: Powerball winner identified, but wants to stay anonymous
South Carolina Education Lottery officials say the winner of last Wednesday night's $399.4 million Powerball jackpot has come forward, but wishes to stay anonymous.Watch reportAccording to a news release from the lottery, the winner is a Columbia area man who discovered he had the winning ticket on Thursday. The release goes on to say the man had no one to tell when he made the discovery, so he just told his small dog, who was standing in the kitchen with him.The winning computer-generated quick pick ticket, which is now the biggest jackpot in state history and the fourth-biggest payout in Powerball history, was sold Wednesday afternoon at a Murphy Express branch on Augusta Road in Lexington.The winner told lottery officials this was only the second time he has ever played the lottery and only stopped in to the convenience store to buy hot dog buns. However, the store didn't sell hot dog buns, so he elected to buy $20 worth of tickets instead. According to state lottery rules, the winner can remain anonymous if he or she likes, but choosing to go public means a press conference would have been held at the lottery headquarters in Columbia.The ticket matched all six numbers (7 - 10 - 22 - 32 - 35  PB: 19). The winner can elect a cash option of $233 million or an annuity paid over 29 years for $399.4 million. If the winner takes the cash option, the payout after taxes will be $134 million.Lottery officials did not say if the winner took the cash payout or the annuity.

South Carolina Education Lottery officials say the winner of last Wednesday night's $399.4 million Powerball jackpot has come forward, but wishes to stay anonymous.

Watch report

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According to a news release from the lottery, the winner is a Columbia area man who discovered he had the winning ticket on Thursday. The release goes on to say the man had no one to tell when he made the discovery, so he just told his small dog, who was standing in the kitchen with him.

The winning computer-generated quick pick ticket, which is now the biggest jackpot in state history and the fourth-biggest payout in Powerball history, was sold Wednesday afternoon at a Murphy Express branch on Augusta Road in Lexington.

The winner told lottery officials this was only the second time he has ever played the lottery and only stopped in to the convenience store to buy hot dog buns. However, the store didn't sell hot dog buns, so he elected to buy $20 worth of tickets instead. 

According to state lottery rules, the winner can remain anonymous if he or she likes, but choosing to go public means a press conference would have been held at the lottery headquarters in Columbia.

The ticket matched all six numbers (7 - 10 - 22 - 32 - 35  PB: 19). The winner can elect a cash option of $233 million or an annuity paid over 29 years for $399.4 million. If the winner takes the cash option, the payout after taxes will be $134 million.

Lottery officials did not say if the winner took the cash payout or the annuity.