Mega Millions US$1.22B jackpot ticket sold in California

Billion-Dollar Mega Millions Jackpot Won in California

ATLANTA, Ga. –

A lucky Mega Millions player is starting off the New Year with a massive win, as a ticket worth an astonishing $1.22 billion was sold in California for the latest drawing. This comes after a three-month dry spell without a jackpot winner in the popular lottery game, as reported by the Mega Millions website.

The winning ticket successfully matched the numbers 3, 7, 37, 49, 55, and the Mega Ball 6. However, the identity of the fortunate winner or winners remains undisclosed at this time.

The total jackpot amount would be paid out over 29 years in annuity payments, but most winners typically opt for a lump sum cash payout. For this particular drawing, the estimated cash payout is a whopping $549.7 million.

Despite the incredibly slim odds of winning, which stand at one in 302.6 million, players continued to try their luck as the jackpot continued to escalate in size. Prior to this recent win, the last Mega Millions jackpot winner was crowned on September 10th.

The largest Mega Millions jackpot in history was a staggering $1.6 billion, awarded to a lucky ticket holder in Florida back in August 2023. Notably, the Powerball lottery has seen even larger prizes in the past.

Both Mega Millions and Powerball are available in 45 states, in addition to Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Powerball tickets are also sold in Puerto Rico.

In a significant change for Mega Millions players, ticket prices are set to increase from $2 to $5 starting in April. This adjustment is part of several planned changes aimed at improving jackpot odds, offering more frequent large prizes, and delivering even bigger payouts to winners.