Mega Millions $1.27bn jackpot finally drops

After a bit of a dry spell in the Mega Millions jackpot drops, the Mega Millions Consortium announced on Friday that a single ticket has bagged the entire $1.269bn prize pool, amounting to the fifth-largest jackpot on record.

One of the biggest Mega Millions drops closes 2024

The ticket that won this Friday was purchased in California, and specifically at the Circle K Sunshine Food and Gas convenience store at Rhonda Rd. Cottonwood. The winning numbers were 3, 7, 37, 49, and 55, with a Mega Ball of 6.

The lucky winner’s name has not been revealed in the brief spell since they won, and it is unlikely to be at a further point. The Mega Millions Consortium hastened to congratulate the ticket holder, nevertheless, with Lead Director Joshua Johnston mulling the significance of the win given the time of the year.

"At an incredibly special time of year, this is both an incredibly special moment for our winner and all the great organizations and causes that benefit from lottery ticket sales around the country."

Johnston congratulated all participants and said it was thanks to them that jackpots big and small were continuously paid out to players from all backgrounds.

Although the winner has not yet come forward, they will have the option to either pick the annuity option which see them receive the bulk of the value and pay lower tax or pick the $571.9m single pay-off which will come with steeper taxes and fees.

California among the luckiest states to win the Mega Millions

Historically, most winners opt for the one-time payment rather than wait on annuity payments. With California among the states to hold the most lottery winners when it comes to the Mega Millions, and rival game Powerball, it is no surprise that the latest winner has actually come from the state once again.

In August last year, a person won the $1.6bn jackpot, which is the largest on record, and has set out California as indeed one of the largest states to have claimed jackpot sums. The Mega Millions lottery is about to undergo some specific changes come 2025.

The non-jackpot wins will receive multipliers of up to 10x, while the price of the ticket will jump by nearly 300% to $5 for a standard ticket fare.

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