A Mega Millions ticket sold in Northern California has won the estimated $1.22 billion jackpot, which is believed to be the fifth-largest prize in the history of the game.
The winning ticket matched all six numbers drawn: 3, 7, 37, 49, 55, and Mega Ball 6. The prize is valued at $549.7 million in cash.
The jackpot had been growing for over three months, with no winner since Christmas Eve, when the prize was estimated at $1 billion. Friday’s drawing saw the jackpot increase to $1.22 billion, making it one of the largest Mega Millions prizes ever.
The winning ticket was sold at Sunshine Food & Gas in Cottonwood, Shasta County, California. This marks only the fourth Mega Millions jackpot won in 2024, following a more typical year in which multiple jackpots were awarded.
This is also the seventh time in the game’s history that the jackpot has surpassed $1 billion. The largest Mega Millions jackpot on record was $1.602 billion, won in Florida in 2023.
Prior to this win, other substantial jackpots were claimed earlier in the year, including an $810 million win in September and a $1.128 billion prize won in New Jersey in March.
In addition to the jackpot winner, five other tickets sold in Arizona, California, Texas, and Missouri won $1 million each by matching the first five numbers of the draw.
These winners will each receive a significant payout, but not on the scale of the jackpot prize. With this Mega Millions win, lottery enthusiasts are reminded of the massive sums of money that can be claimed through these games, though the odds of winning the jackpot remain incredibly low.
The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 302.5 million, which highlights the rarity of such large wins. While the chances of securing a jackpot are minuscule, the game offers players the possibility of winning secondary prizes, which also come with substantial payouts.
The chance of winning any prize in Mega Millions is 1 in 24, making it a more likely event but still a long shot for most players. Despite these odds, the allure of life-changing sums of money continues to drive millions of Americans to purchase tickets for the game.
The record-breaking jackpot came at the tail end of 2024, and it was the result of several months of drawings with no jackpot winner. While the jackpot continues to grow, this trend of increasing prize pools is rare in the history of the game.
The New Year’s Eve drawing, which is set to reset the prize to $20 million, is historically one of the least likely times to win, with many players hoping for a lucky start to the new year.
However, concerns have also been raised about the social implications of the lottery. Research by the Howard Center for Investigative Journalism has highlighted the disproportionate number of lottery ticket sales in impoverished communities.
These communities often bear the brunt of the advertising and sales efforts for lotteries, while the proceeds from these tickets often end up funding distant educational institutions and causes rather than benefiting the local areas where the tickets are sold.
Some critics argue that lotteries, like Mega Millions, target vulnerable populations by offering a slim chance at wealth while not providing tangible benefits to the communities that purchase the majority of the tickets.
In response to growing concerns, Mega Millions organizers note that half of the proceeds from ticket sales remain in the state where the ticket is sold, with funds supporting various causes, such as educational programs, retailer commissions, and other community efforts. Nonetheless, the ethics of lottery-based funding continue to be a topic of debate.
Looking forward, the next Mega Millions jackpot will begin anew at $20 million, and the game will continue to captivate players, despite the odds, with the promise of immense fortune.
