California, U.S. – A winning ticket for the $1.22 billion Mega Millions jackpot, the fifth-largest prize in the lottery’s history, was sold in Shasta County, California.
The ticket, purchased at the Circle K on 3505 Rhonda Road in Cottonwood, matched all six numbers drawn on Friday night: 3, 7, 37, 49, 55, and the gold Mega Ball 6.
The cash value of the jackpot is estimated at $549.7 million.
This win marks the end of a 31-drawing streak without a jackpot winner, which began after the last $810 million prize was claimed in Texas on 10 September.
“Congratulations to our $1.22 billion jackpot winner from California,” said Joshua Johnston, lead director of the Mega Millions Consortium.
He highlighted the significance of this win, not just for the lucky ticket holder but also for the numerous educational and charitable causes funded by lottery sales.
The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350, making this a rare and historic moment.
In the 31-drawing run, over 31.4 million winning tickets were sold across all prize tiers, including 65 second-tier prizes of $1 million or more in 26 jurisdictions.
This is only the fourth Mega Millions jackpot won in 2024. Other notable wins this year include a $552 million prize in Illinois in June and a $1.128 billion jackpot in New Jersey in March.
Mega Millions tickets are available in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands for $2 per play.
