Holder of third winning ticket revealed in record-breaking lottery



1. Wide of lottery officials uncovering oversized cheque to winners of the Mega Millions lottery 2. Close of cheque for nearly 219,000,000 US dollars tilt up to winner Merle Butler 3. Wide of winners Merle and Patricia Butler standing behind cheque (far right and second from right) 4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Merle Butler, Mega Millions Lottery winner: "I took it out and looked at the ticket, and the first thing I spotted was I had the Mega ball number. So, well, good, I''m going to win something anyway, you know. And then I started on the other numbers, and it was 2, 4 and the further I went the more they matched." 5. Close of Butler holding his winning lottery ticket, pull out to wide 6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Merle Butler, Mega Millions Lottery winner: "After I looked at it for a couple of minutes, I turned to my wife who was right there with me and I said,''We won.'' And she kind of looked at me funny, and I says ''no, we won.'' And, then she started giggling, and she giggled for about four hours I think." 7. Close of winning ticket 8. Wide of community hall where a celebration barbecue is being held 9. Wide of residents looking at oversized cheque displayed outside the hall 10. Mid of people at celebration 11. SOUNDBITE: (English) Karla Rednour, Red Bud resident: "Everybody has been going crazy around here. I think just surprised it was somebody that they might know, somebody so close, you know." 12. Mid of people eating at barbecue 13. SOUNDBITE: (English) Laura Murry, Red Bud resident: "I think I probably ran out my phone battery being so excited, calling everybody, calling my in-laws in Alabama, saying, ''Did you know, tomorrow, we''re finally going to find out?''" 14. Woman at event 15. SOUNDBITE: (English) Twyla Schulte, Red Bud resident: "I just hope they do something wonderful for our town." 16. Close of cookies in a plate with winning lottery numbers written in icing STORYLINE: A retired southern Illinois couple claimed the third and final share of last month''s record 656 (m) million US dollar Mega Millions jackpot on Wednesday, and said they plan to treat themselves - possibly even to a vacation - once they''ve decided how to invest their windfall. Merle and Patricia Butler bought a three dollar quick-pick ticket to the March 30 drawing at the Motomart convenience store in their village of Red Bud, a farming community about 40 miles (64 kilometres) southeast of St. Louis. They have opted to collect their winnings, 111 (m) million US dollars after taxes, in a lump-sum payment. Merle Butler, 65, said that until Wednesday''s news conference, fewer than five people knew they had won the lottery, other than the cadre of financial advisors and the lawyer with whom they''ve been meeting. The couple, who have grandchildren, have no immediate plans other than to craft an investment strategy, then look into how to treat themselves in a few months or a year, Merle said. Of the three jackpot-winning ticket holders, only the Butlers came forward publicly. The Illinois Lottery requires, with rare exceptions, that winning ticket holders appear for a news conference and related promotions, partly to show that it pays out prizes as promised. Winning ticket holders in Kansas and Maryland opted to remain anonymous. Since the drawing, Red Bud residents had been speculating about who the winner might be, wondering if it was one of their own or someone who had pulled off the nearby highway while en route to other parts. About 100 local residents gathered outside Red Bud community hall during Wednesday''s news conference, and they gave a rousing cheer to the Butlers when they emerged afterward. Several residents described the Butlers as a friendly but private couple. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/88f3e2193ef2476447505fba9148ae17 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork

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