Anonymous winners of $1.3 billion Mega Millions lottery claim prize after 8 weeks

The anonymous winners of a mammoth $1.3 billion lottery jackpot have finally claimed their winnings after weeks and weeks of preparation, the Illinois Lottery revealed this week. 

The nation was sent into a lottery-buying frenzy over the summer when the Mega Millions jackpot swelled to almost-record levels. A winning ticket was purchased in Des Plaines, Ill., in late July. 

The Illinois Lottery said on its website on Wednesday that "the unknown Illinois Lottery winner of the $1.34 billion Mega Millions jackpot has now come forward, almost eights weeks after the historic drawing." 

Officials said the prize would be split between two individuals who agreed to the deal when purchasing the ticket. 

The winners "spent the past few weeks working with professional legal and financial advisors to support the claim process," the lottery said, adding that they "have opted to take the lump sum payment of $780.5 million."