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Ira Curry: Georgia Woman Wins Share of $648M Lottery Jackpot

Ira CurryA Georgia woman came forward Wednesday to claim half of the $648 million Mega Millions Lottery jackpot, the second-largest in American history.

Lottery officials identified her as Ira Curry, 56, of Stone Mountain, an Atlanta suburb. A person who answered the phone at that listing told NBC News: “We’re not interested in any publicity at all.”

According to a statement released by lottery officials, Curry said of winning: “It’s unreal. It’s like I’m still dreaming.”

Curry bought one of two winning tickets for the drawing Tuesday night. The other was sold in California, but the winner did not immediately come forward.

Georgia lottery officials said that Curry bought only the one ticket, a last-minute decision, and played a combination of family birthdays and her family’s lucky number, seven — the critical Mega Ball in the drawing Tuesday night.

“She was just in a state of disbelief,” said Debbie Alford, the Georgia lottery president.

Curry selected a single-payment option, rather than an annuity, and will take home about $120 million after federal and state taxes, the officials said.

Curry, who lottery officials said was driving when she heard about the winning numbers, did not appear at a Georgia lottery press conference. Lottery officials said they had spent a couple of hours with her and her husband, and that “she’s gonna take some time and think about it.”

Curry’s employer congratulated her in a statement released Wednesday: “Aspen Insurance congratulates Ira Curry, a vice president based in Atlanta, on winning yesterday’s Mega Millions jackpot. Ira is a valued long-term employee with Aspen, and the entire Aspen team is thrilled for her and her family. It could not have happened to a nicer person, and we are excited for her good fortune.”

The winning tickets were sold at an office-building newsstand in Atlanta and at a shop in San Jose, Calif. And fortunes were very different for the two sellers. Because of differing lottery rules in their two states, one gets $1 million, while the other has to settle for publicity.

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