A couple from Illinois came forward today to claim their share of the historic $656 million Mega Millions jackpot, becoming the only winners to make their identities known.

And thank goodness for that because they are just precious.

Merle and Patricia Butler, both 60-something retirees from the small town of Red Bud in Randolph County, said they spent all of three dollars on lottery tickets at a local convenience store. "I thought, 'I might win something'," Mr. Butler told reporters at this morning's news conference.

After the winning combination was announced, Butler said he first noticed that the Mega Ball number matched. "Then I started on the other numbers. The further I went the more they matched. After I looked at it for a couple of minutes, I turned to my wife and said ‘We won.'"

He and his wife then spent the next four hours giggling.

Butler, who is a retired computer analyst, said the couple have met with an attorney and a financial planner, and decided to take the lump sum, but have no plans to use the money to ditch Red Bud. "It's a really nice place to live," he said. "I know pretty much everybody here."

I suspect he's about to get to know the rest.

[photo via AP]