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The winner of a record $1.5bn (£1.2bn) lottery jackpot in South Carolina gave up a spot in the queue before purchasing the ticket, officials say.

The individual, who chose to remain anonymous, committed a "simple act of kindness [that] led to an amazing outcome", lottery officials said.

The winner is electing to receive a lump sum pay-out of $877m.

The anonymous individual will take home the largest-ever US jackpot paid to a single person.

"The winner marvels at how every decision made that day brought the winner to the store, at that very moment," South Carolina lottery officials said in a statement on Monday, nearly five months after the winning ticket was sold.

According to lottery officials, the winner allowed another customer to cut in the queue to purchase a Mega Millions lottery ticket before buying one.

Officials say the winning numbers were randomly generated by the Quick Pick machine.

Hogan Brown, the Lottery Commission's Executive Director, said in a statement: "We are delighted that the winner is a South Carolinian and has come forward to claim this remarkable prize."

The owner of the shop that sold the winning ticket, KC Mart in Simpsonville, a suburb of Greenville, said he will use the $50,000 he will receive to renovate his store.

"It's exciting. Good for me, good for him, her, whoever it is," .

South Carolina is one of the only states that allow winners to conceal their identities.

The others are Delaware, Ohio, Kansas, Maryland, Georgia, North Dakota, and Texas.

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