Retired postal carrier from UP wins Mega Millions jackpot

5:04 PM, Feb 27, 2013

5:07 PM, Feb 27, 2013

LANSING, Mich. (AP) - A retired woman from Michigan's Upper Peninsula is the winner of the Mega Millions jackpot.

Michigan Lottery Commissioner Scott Bowen announced Wednesday that Judy Juntunen of Atlantic Mine bought the ticket worth $19 million. She has chosen the cash option, which means she will receive about $14 million in a lump sum, before taxes.

Juntunen bought the ticket for the Feb. 5 drawing at Festival Foods in Houghton and says she got a call from her granddaughter who heard the market sold the winning ticket. Juntunen says that's when she realized she was the winner.

She says she is going to buy a car with four-wheel drive, which she needs "up in snow country." Juntunen says she used to work as a contract mail carrier for the U.S. postal service.