27 March 2024 , 11:42
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A lucky punter has scooped a massive $1.12billion (£830M) Mega Millions jackpot, ending a three-month dry spell with no top prize winners since December.
A single ticket sold in New Jersey matched with all the winning numbers in last night's draw for the Mega Millions $1.3 billion jackpot. The winning numbers were: 7, 11, 22, 29, 38 and Mega Ball 4.
Before this win, no one had matched all six numbers to win the Mega Millions jackpot since December 8. That's 30 straight drawings without a big winner.
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A single ticket from New Jersey matched all numbers to scoop the huge jackpot (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)In total, thirteen tickets from across nine of the states involved in the Mega Millions draw matched five numbers, which means each of those lucky winners scooped a $1 million (£792,000) prize. But for one of those thirteen tickets, they had a multiplier which bumped their prize up to a cool $2 million (£1.58m)
Lucky lottery player becomes a billionaire overnight after massive jackpot win
It's the sixth time in the game's history that the jackpot has topped out at more than $1 billion, with last night's win recorded as the fifth-largest prize in the history of the Mega Millions. In August 2023, one lucky winner in Florida won a staggering $1.6 billion (£1.3bn) jackpot, with another record win the same year, in January, which saw a Maine winner scooping the $1.35bn (£1.07bn) prize.
In October 2018, a winning ticket from South Carolina took home the second biggest jackpot, which stood at $1.537bn (£1.216 bn), while an Illinois ticket holder took home $1.337 bn (£1.06 bn) in July 2022.
Winning the Mega Millions jackpot isn't easy because the odds are really high, at 1 in 302.6million. This prize is the 8th largest in US lottery history.
The $1.12 billion jackpot is for a winner who chooses an annuity, which includes an initial payment and then 29 annual payments. But most winners prefer a cash payout, which would be $537.5 million. Mega Millions is played in 45 states, Washington DC, and the US Virgin Islands.
Meanwhile, the Powerball jackpot has increased to an estimated $865 million (£676 million) after Monday night's drawing saw no winning tickets. The Powerball jackpot has not been won since New Year's Day, meaning it has grown into a mega jackpot after 36 straight drawings without a win.
The $865m prize will be up for grabs in tomorrow, Wednesday's, drawing. The $865m total will be for a sole winner who chooses to receive their win through annuity payments of an initial payment followed by 29 more. Most winners, however, chose a cash payout, which could be an estimated $416m (£329m) for the upcoming Powerball drawing.
Two people won the 'Match 5' on Monday night's draw, which saw them match all five numbers but not the red Powerball. One winning ticket was from Florida and another from New York, which saw winners taking home $1 million each.