A customer plays the Mega Millions lottery ticket at a souvenir shop in downtown Miami on December 26, 2024 in Miami, Florida.
Joe Reddell | Getty Images
At least one Mega Millions player has enough money to ring in the new year after drawing the winning number. A lottery ticket worth about $1.22 billion was sold in California on Friday night after three months without anyone winning the lottery jackpot, according to Millionaire.com.
The California Lottery said the winning ticket was sold at the Circle K (Sunshine Food and Gas) on Landa Road in Cottonwood, about 150 miles (240 kilometers) north of Sacramento. The winning ticket matched the white ball 3, 7, 37, 49, 55 and the golden giant ball 6. “Blessings” people. The identity of the winner is not yet known.
“We have absolutely no idea who might have won it or who might have sold it,” Gill told The Associated Press. “But congratulations to the winner.”
The total amount of the Mega Millions jackpot will only be distributed to the winner who elects to receive an annuity payment over 29 years. Nearly all jackpot winners chose cash, with Friday night’s drawing worth an estimated $549.7 million.
Even though the odds of the game are as high as 1 in 302.6 million, players continue to buy tickets as the jackpot increases. Until Friday, the last time a Mega Millions player won the jackpot was Sept. 10.
In August 2023, the largest-ever Mega Millions jackpot ticket worth $1.6 billion was sold in Florida.
Mega Millions and Powerball are sold in 45 states, as well as Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Powerball is also sold in Puerto Rico.
Mega Millions ticket prices will rise from $2 to $5 in April. Officials said the increase will be one of many changes that will result in higher jackpot odds, more frequent mega jackpots and larger prizes.
