Illinois Lottery Mega Millions Winners to Collect $81.5 Million Jackpot

Winners Wait Three Months to Claim Prize after Obtaining Financial and Legal Guidance

CHICAGO, March 18 /PRNewswire/ -- Jodie Winnett, acting superintendent for the Illinois Lottery, will present Illinois' newest millionaires, the JYS Family Limited Partnership, with an oversized check for $81.5 million -- half of the $163 million jackpot from the Mega Millions drawing previously held on Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2007. The winning ticket was sold at Shell at 851 S. Sutton Rd. in Streamwood, Ill.

The JYS Family Limited Partnership has waited three months to reveal themselves and claim their prize. Attorney Terry Zimmer and Estate Planner Richard Kuenster will be available to provide insight on the counsel given to the winners to ensure their finances were in order before coming forward.

WHEN: Wednesday, March 19, 2007
12:00 p.m. CT

WHERE: James R. Thompson Center
Atrium (Street) Level
100 W. Randolph St.
Chicago, IL

WHO: Jodie Winnett, Acting Superintendent for the Illinois
Lottery
The JYS Family Limited Partnership
Terry H. Zimmer, Attorney at Law
Richard A. Kuenster, Estate Planner & Tax Attorney
Ljupka Milenkovic, General Manager for R S Enterprise of IL
Bruce J. Friedman, Senior Vice President for U.S. Trust,
Bank of America Private Wealth Management

SATELLITE COORDINATES:
Time: 2:00 p.m. - 2:15 p.m. (CT)
Satellite: AMC 15K (KU)
Transponder: 01 Full
Downlink Freq: 11720 MHz (V)
Bandwidth: 36 MHz
Orbital Pos: 105 degrees west
Audio Sub-Carrier: 6.2 & 6.8
*For technical assistance call Illinois Information
Service at (217) 785-5499

CONTACT: Madonna Duncan (312) 255-3143 (office) or
(773) 960-5829 (cell)
Laura Lehmann (312) 475-5901 (office) or
(309) 696-2292 (cell)

About the Illinois Lottery

Founded in 1974, the Illinois Lottery is a state agency with annual sales over $2 billion. Since its inception, the Lottery has contributed more than $14 billion to the state Common School Fund to assist K-12 public schools. Players must be at least 18 years old. For more information on the Illinois Lottery please visit our Web site at http://www.illinoislottery.com/.

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Illinois Lottery

CONTACT: Madonna Duncan, +1-312-255-3143, cell, +1-773-960-5829, or
Laura Lehmann, +1-312-475-5901, cell, +1-309-696-2292, both of Hill and
Knowlton, for Illinois Lottery

Web site: http://www.illinoislottery.com/

2008-03-18 17:22:53 0315642 PRNEWSWIRE