One ticket holder scoops record lottery win of pounds 108m.

One ticket holder has won California's 141 million dollars (pounds 108 million) SuperLotto Plus, the biggest single-state jackpot in US history.

The ticket was purchased in San Jose, but the identity of the holder will not be known until it is redeemed. The winner could opt to take the money in 26 annual payments or a lump sum of about 70 million dollars (pounds 54 million).

Alex Wang, aged 56, who owns the store where the winning ticket was sold, will receive about 705,000 dollars (pounds 542,000) if the ticket is confirmed, lottery spokesman Sid Ramirez said. 'I couldn't believe it, but it looks like it's true,' said Wang, who moved to the United States from Taiwan in 1970 and has owned the store nearly three decades.

Lottery fever reached its peak on Saturday, when 84,000 tickets were sold every minute. The record prize built up over the past few months as nine draws did not produce a winner.

Until the current jackpot, the largest single-state prize was 118.8 million dollars (pounds 91 million) also in California, in 1991.

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Publication:	The Birmingham Post (England)
Date:	Jun 26, 2001
Words:	183
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