The winning ticket was sold in Shasta County at the Circle K on 3505 Rhonda Road in Cottonwood, California, and matched all six numbers in Friday night’s drawing.
The winning numbers were 3, 7, 37, 49, 55 and gold Mega Ball 6 and the cash value of the jackpot is estimated to be $549.7 million, according to the lottery.
The winning ticket for the $1.22 billion Mega Millions jackpot has been sold in California, with the winner set to take home the fifth-largest prize ever.
The winning ticket was sold in Shasta County at the Circle K on 3505 Rhonda Road in Cottonwood, California, and matched all six numbers in Friday night’s drawing.
The winning numbers were 3, 7, 37, 49, 55 and gold Mega Ball 6 and the cash value of the jackpot is estimated to be $549.7 million, according to the lottery.
The grand prize has gone unclaimed for 30 consecutive drawings, causing the jackpot to soar. The last win was a massive $810 million in Texas on September 10.
The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350, according to the game’s official statistics.
“Congratulations to our $1.22 billion jackpot winner from California,” said Joshua Johnston, lead director for the Mega Millions Consortium. “What an incredible gift this holiday season! This is a special moment not only for the winner but for all the organizations and causes that benefit from lottery ticket sales nationwide. Thanks to everyone who plays, we have winners across the country, and numerous great causes, including education and parks, also receive support.”
Over the 31 drawings since the last jackpot was won in Texas on September 10, more than 31.4 million winning tickets were sold across all prize tiers. This includes 65 second-tier prizes of $1 million or more, awarded in 26 different states.
“Mega Millions has had only four jackpots in 2024, and with just one drawing left this year, it looks set to end with the fewest jackpots ever in a year since the game started in 2002,” Mega Millions noted after Friday’s drawing. “In addition to the $810 million Texas win on September 10, there was also a $552 million win by an Illinois online player on June 4 (the largest lottery prize ever won with an online ticket), and a $1.128 billion prize in New Jersey on March 26.”
Mega Millions is available in 45 states, Washington D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. A single ticket costs $2.
New details have emerged about the Mega Millions winner of the $1.22 billion jackpot. The winning ticket was sold at a Circle K in Cottonwood, California, located in Shasta County. The lucky ticket matched all six numbers from Friday night’s drawing: 3, 7, 37, 49, 55, and the gold Mega Ball 6. The cash value of the prize is estimated at $549.7 million.
This win marks the fifth-largest Mega Millions jackpot ever. The winner, whose identity has not yet been revealed, is set to take home an astounding sum, potentially transforming their life forever. The massive prize also benefits local and national causes, as proceeds from ticket sales help fund educational programs, parks, and other initiatives across the country.
Mega Millions officials congratulated the winner, calling it “an incredible gift this holiday season,” and highlighted that over 31.4 million tickets won prizes across all levels during the 31-drawing streak. This includes numerous secondary prizes, with 65 tickets winning $1 million or more.
The jackpot’s rapid growth stemmed from no one matching all six numbers since the last winner in Texas on September 10.
Another jackpot surpasses $1 billion—Is this becoming the new normal?
After three months of no top prize winners, a ticket worth an estimated $1.22 billion was sold in California for Friday night’s drawing. The record-breaking jackpot grabbed headlines and likely sent more people flocking to convenience stores, dreaming of life-changing wins.
It’s notable that the nation’s top 10 jackpots, excluding Friday’s win, already featured 10-figure payouts. Yet, there’s still something about seeing a number tick just above $999,999,999 that sparks excitement.
“The real question is, what happens when $1 billion becomes the norm, and people stop caring?” said Jonathan D. Cohen, author of For a Dollar and a Dream: State Lotteries in Modern America.
“There’s no bigger milestone after a billion,” Cohen added. “And really, how much money can one person possibly need?”
In April, Mega Millions ticket prices will rise from $2 to $5. This increase is part of a larger overhaul aimed at improving jackpot odds, generating more giant prizes, and offering even larger payouts.
A brief history of lotteries shows why jackpots keep growing:
Cohen explains in his book that lotteries have been around for over 4,000 years. In ancient Rome, emperors and nobles held drawings at dinner parties, offering prizes ranging from terra cotta vases to enslaved people. By the 1400s, lotteries were used across Europe to fund city defenses and public works.
In colonial America, lotteries were used to fund the revolution against Britain. Cohen notes that Thomas Jefferson supported lotteries, describing them as a tax “laid on the willing only.”
Lotteries began to lose popularity in the U.S. during the 1800s due to concerns over fraud, mismanagement, and their negative impact on lower-income communities. However, starting in the 1960s, states began legalizing lotteries as a way to address financial shortfalls without raising taxes.
“Lotteries were seen as budgetary miracles, providing states with a seemingly endless source of revenue,” Cohen wrote.
When Mega Millions was launched in 1996, it was initially called “The Big Game” and involved just six states. Its goal was to compete with Powerball, which at the time had 20 states and the District of Columbia participating.
The initial jackpot for The Big Game started at $5 million, which, accounting for inflation, would be nearly double that amount today.
In today’s dollars, a $5 million prize could buy a rare copy of the U.S. Constitution or cover a $9 million contract for Washington Nationals pitcher Michael Soroka.
In comparison, the pre-tax winnings from Friday’s Mega Millions prize—$1.22 billion—could potentially buy a Major League Baseball team. While the Nationals are too expensive, Forbes recently valued the Miami Marlins at $1 billion.
A more fitting comparison might be Taylor Swift’s tour revenue. By the end of 2023, her Eras Tour had become the first to gross over $1 billion from ticket sales, having sold over 4 million tickets. Swift’s total earnings from the tour are expected to exceed $2 billion, according to concert trade publication Pollstar.
Today, Mega Millions and Powerball are sold in 45 states, Washington D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands, with Powerball also available in Puerto Rico.
In October, Mega Millions officials stated that they hoped increased ticket sales and better odds would allow for more winners, even as the jackpots continued to soar.
Massive jackpots tend to attract more players, despite the lower odds, and generate significant media attention. Cohen explained that larger prizes lead to more ticket sales and attract new players.
To generate larger payouts, officials have adjusted the odds, increasing the pool of numbers to choose from. This has made the games harder to win, causing the jackpots to roll over into even larger amounts.
The first $1 billion Mega Millions jackpot occurred in 2016, and Cohen predicts the trend will continue.
However, he also cautioned against the familiar stories of lottery winners who spiral into ruin.
One such example is Andrew “Jack” Whittaker Jr., who won a record Powerball jackpot in 2002 but faced scandals, lawsuits, and personal turmoil as his newfound wealth led to constant requests for money, leaving him distrustful of others.
But according to Cohen, most winners don’t end up like Whittaker.
“Even if we deny it, we all believe in meritocracy—that if you win money through luck, you don’t really deserve it,” Cohen said. However, studies have shown that “lottery winners are happier, healthier, and wealthier than the rest of us.”