After 76 suspenseful days, a winner has stepped forward to claim the record-breaking $6.9 million lottery prize for the Match 6 ticket sold at Giant Eagle supermarket in Ebensburg.
But there are few drum rolls to accompany the announcement, because the winner does not want publicity, so the state can only release a name: Jane Rowland of Hollidaysburg.
The winning Match 6 lotto ticket, which was sold March 23, was validated Thursday. It was the largest Match 6 lottery jackpot ever.
It will take four to six weeks for the check to be issued.
"I wish I could tell you more about the winner, but she wants no publicity or news release. We spoke with her and she expressly declined any ceremony or check presentation," said Stephanie Weyant, press secretary at the state Department of Revenue.
One thing is certain — the winner is not Jane Rowland of Patton.
When contacted by The Tribune-Democrat, she said that, if she had won $6.9 million, it would be "the best news I've heard in a lifetime.
"No, it's not me. But I'm glad it's somebody who won it and that it didn't end up being thrown away," she said.
Giant Eagle will receive a $10,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket. Workers there said the winner's name did not sound familiar, but they said they are glad Rowland is from the region.
Congratulations to the winner for stepping forward. I hope she chooses cash option and doesn't have financial problems later in life.
Smart lady.
"I wish I could tell you more about the winner, but she wants no publicity or news release. We spoke with her and she expressly declined any ceremony or check presentation," said Stephanie Weyant, press secretary at the state Department of Revenue.
My vote is yes.
Congrats to the winner on both winning AND declining the press conference.
my question is this... The winner wanted no publicity, so the stupid newspaper starts calling people with the winner's name?
Irresponsible Journalism. THIS is why states like Delaware have the right idea.
I'll bet she won't be "from the region" for much longer ...
good for her!
BTW Match6 is an all-Cash game, no annuity option... Should be worth $4,485,000 after the full tax is paid (you owe 35% on any amount over $311,000 but they only withhold 25%)
Match 6 is an all-cash game. Actually, presently, the only games that are annuity are Powerball and the Win-for-Life variety scratch offs.
So that is where all my money went to. I would not mind the check presentation, as that would be a picture I would want to frame. But not too much beyond that.
I'd just ask them to direct deposit it to my account and by the time the press release comes out I'm gone.
They told me once in an e-mail that the validation process takes time and it could be up to 8 weeks until you actually have prize money...
what they SHOULD do, if the absolutely must release the name,is wait until they have the money and give them a few weeks to ensure their safety (move, plan security, arm themselves, whatever)
You are plastered on the front page well before you get a dime...
I've actually begun to wonder if winning the lottery is even worth the hassle. Now in anonymous states like Delaware (and a few others), one can easily, if they can contain themselves, slip away quietly and not be missed.
The lottery will NEVER sit on an opporunity to gloat to the press as quickly and as much as possible.
I wish her well, TGOOD7.
Yea God Bless Her!..she did the right thing I would of done the same thing too.
Congratulations to the winner for stepping forward. I hope she chooses annuity option and doesn't have financial problems later in life.
Don't you know, there is no annuity option for this particular game?
Yes, I do, I just love to parody the one who always hopes they choose the cash option, then hopes they don't have financial problems later in life. The 'cash option' is a RECIPE for financial problems in life. Imagine if, when you finished school and started your first job/career, they gave you your next 30 years of salary in advance and said its up to you to make it last. How many people do you think could pull that off?
Why 4-6 weeks till the check is issued, it's not like they have a cash flow problem!
He hasn't been around for quite a while. I'm not complaining about it either.
I've actually begun to wonder if winning the lottery is even worth the hassle.
You're joking, right? At first I read your comment incorrectly. I thought you wrote "I've actually begun to wonder if playing the lottery is even worth the hassle." If I won $7 million bucks, I think I'd put up with a little aggravation! If I had to wait a few weeks, I'd just take a vacation and use a credit card until I got the money.
Congratulations to Jane Rowland for winning $6.9 million in the lottery. I hope that she does not have financial difficulty later in her life. I am a firm believer that with an owl in your name she probably does not give a hoot!-weshar75
They call it a validation process.
Typical lottery commission... validate ticket after announcement...
I think it has to do with running your name thru federal databases to find out outstanding debt like student loans, welfare status and child support... or whether you were sued or owe damages or restitution...
Can't think of another reason ...
When my friend won a large Powerball prize in Delaware (not the jackpot), he had his check in less than one hour.
Rats, we passed the Hollidaysburg exit a week before.. I could have stopped and asked for a loan!
MATCH 6 is also the only game I know of (maybe the new one in MD also) where you can have a ticket in which some of the prize levels are mathematically impossible to win depending on what the QP 2nd and 3rd line are.
The most out of 18 I ever matched was 8, I don't believe it is possible to match more than that. Although they list winners for 9 and 10 out of 18, I still don't buy it. I bought A LOT of tickets and the QP's are almost never the same at all. I would not believe it unless I seen it.