(Image source: MSNBC )

 

BY CIDNEY KING

ANCHOR CARISSA LOETHEN

The mystery is finally over. After keeping the secret for more than a month, the last winners of the $656 million Mega Millions lottery stepped forward to claim their money. KMOV has the story.

 

“The lucky winners are Merle and Patricia Butler, lifelong residents of Red Bud, Illinois. They purchased a quick pick ticket.”

 

The Butlers hold one of three tickets containing the winning numbers... This just might make them one of the luckiest couples in the world.  KPRC gives some perspective.

 

“If you were to go to Reliant Stadium and you look at all the grass that’s on the field, there’s about 176 million blades of grass. So it’s like going on the field and picking the right one.”

 

I n a televised press conference, the couple shared exactly what they did once they found out they were sitting on a fortune.

 

“We got up, we waited for 9 o’clock when the banks opened. We went over to our local bank where we had a lock box and immediately went in to place the ticket in a lockbox.”

 

The Butlers have been hard at work to make sure that when they get their money, they’ll have it for a lifetime. According to KSTU the couple has been...

 

“...spending the past two weeks hiring “real good financial advisers” and a lawyer to help them manage their new fortune, which is $158 million after taxes are deducted...”

 

As for the other jackpot winners from Maryland and Kansas...they accepted their winnings anonymously.