A historic win breaks three-month dry spell
A California resident has defied astronomical odds to win the $1.22 billion Mega Millions jackpot, marking the end of a three-month drought with no winners in the popular lottery. The winning ticket, sold at Sunshine Food and Gas in Cottonwood, California—146 miles north of Sacramento—matched all six numbers drawn on Friday night: 3, 7, 37, 49, 55, and the gold Mega Ball of 6. The Megaplier multiplier for the draw was 3X.
This remarkable win is the fifth-largest prize in the history of Mega Millions and the 37th time the jackpot has been won in California, a state second only to New York, which boasts 44 winners to date.
Lottery official calls it a holiday season miracle
“What an amazing present this holiday season!” said Joshua Johnston, lead director for the Mega Millions Consortium. “At an incredibly special time of year, this is both an incredibly special moment for our winner and for all the great organizations and causes that benefit from lottery ticket sales around the country.”
The winner now faces a life-changing decision: claim the estimated $1.22 billion as an annual payout or opt for a lump sum cash prize of $549.7 million. Either choice cements their place in the history of one of the world’s most lucrative lotteries.
Other winners celebrate million-dollar prizes
While the jackpot winner takes center stage, five additional tickets also matched all five white-ball numbers, earning their holders $1 million each. The lucky millionaires hail from Arizona, Missouri, Texas, and California.
This year has seen other monumental lottery moments. In March, a New Jersey resident captured a $1.13 billion prize, the fifth-largest jackpot in Mega Millions history at the time. Now, Friday’s win eclipses that milestone as 2024 concludes with a bang.
Jackpot resets but promises exciting updates
Following the historic win, the Mega Millions jackpot resets to $20 million for the next drawing, scheduled for December 31. Interestingly, no jackpot has ever been won on New Year’s Eve, a trend players hope to break as the year ends.
Looking ahead, the Mega Millions Consortium has announced a “mega overhaul” of the game in Spring 2025. The changes include a significant price increase for tickets, which will rise from $2 to $5. Lottery officials anticipate that the revised structure will lead to even larger jackpots, fueling excitement among players nationwide.
The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot stand at a daunting 1 in 302,575,350. Yet, the allure of life-changing wealth keeps millions of Americans participating week after week. Friday’s win is a testament to the enduring allure of the lottery and its power to transform lives in an instant.