Grafton Lottery Winnter Identified

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — The holder of North Dakota's biggest lottery ticket ever has claimed his $1.6 million prize.

Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem is presenting Grafton resident George Nelson and his family with a ceremonial check Monday in Grafton. Nelson bought the ticket at Wally's Supermarket in Grafton.

Nelson has already gotten his winnings. They added up to $1.14 million after taxes were withheld. The attorney general's office says Nelson isn't commenting on the prize until Monday's presentation.

Nelson won the Wild Card 2 jackpot during the game's Nov. 25 drawing. Wild Card 2 is played Wednesdays and Saturdays in North Dakota, South Dakota, Montana and Idaho.

It's the ninth Wild Card 2 jackpot ticket sold in North Dakota. The game starts with a $100,000 top prize and builds up until someone wins it. The odds of getting the top prize are one in 1.36 million.

Until now North Dakota's biggest lottery prize was a $1 million Powerball ticket sold in March 2006. It was bought by Kevin Green of Williston. He got $694,600 after taxes.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press.

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