Mega Millions player from New Jersey wins $1.13 billion jackpot
A Mega Millions player from New Jersey made headlines by snagging the first jackpot-winning ticket of this year, breaking a 31-drawing dry spell! The winning combination consisted of the numbers 7, 11, 22, 29, and 38, with the gold Mega ball being 4. This jackpot, totaling $1.13 billion, ranks as the lottery's 5th largest prize to date.
Lumpsum or installments: The winner has a choice
The winner has the choice between receiving the full amount through annual payments or opting for a lump sum estimated at $537.5 million. Additionally, 13 players across California, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Colorado, New York, and Ohio matched all five white balls, securing a $1 million prize each. Not only that, one player from New York won $2 million by playing the Megaplier.
Past wins: Winning the Mega Millions is highly unlikely
With odds of 1 in 302,575,350, winning the Mega Millions is highly unlikely. The last jackpot-winning ticket sold in New Jersey was on July 21, 2020. The anonymous winner, who bought the $123 million ticket in Bayonne, can claim their prize within a year, thanks to New Jersey's policy of allowing winners to remain unidentified.
A look at Mega Millions jackpot history
Richard Wahl of Vernon previously held New Jersey's largest Mega Millions win with $533 million on March 30, 2018. It's now the 11th biggest in the game's history. Tuesday's $1.13 billion win marked the first since December 8, when two California tickets matched for $395 million. The largest-ever jackpot of $1.602 billion occurred in August 2023, sold at a Publix supermarket in Florida.
Purchasing the Mega Million tickets
Mega Millions holds drawings on Tuesday and Friday evenings, while Powerball draws occur on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday nights. As of Tuesday night, Powerball's jackpot stood at an estimated $865 million. To win the Mega Millions jackpot, players should match all five white balls plus the yellow Mega Ball. Mega Millions tickets can be purchased in 45 states, along with Washington, D.C.
