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Owing to the size mismatch between light and nanoscale objects such as single molecules, it is important to be able to control light–molecule interactions^,,,. Plasmonic nanoantennas create highly enhanced local fields when pumped resonantly, leading to increased Raman scattering, but whether fluorescence enhancement occurs depends upon a variety of factors. Although sharp metal tips and colloids^, can enhance fluorescence, the highly enhanced optical fields of lithographically fabricated bowtie nanoantennas provide a structure that is more controllable and amenable to integration. Using gold bowties, we observe enhancements of a single molecule's fluorescence up to a factor of 1,340, ten times higher than reported previously^{,,,,,,,,,,,,,,}. Electromagnetic simulations reveal that this is a result of greatly enhanced absorption and an increased radiative emission rate, leading to enhancement of the intrinsic …