Someone in California Just Became a Billionaire

At least one Mega Millions player has plenty of dough to ring in the new year after drawing the winning number. After three months without anyone winning the top prize in the lottery, a ticket worth an estimated $1.22 billion was sold in California for the drawing Friday night, according to the Mega Millions website. The winning ticket matched the white balls 3, 7, 37, 49, and 55 and the gold Mega Ball 6. The identity of the winner or winners wasn't immediately known, per the AP.

The total amount of the Mega Millions jackpot would only be distributed to a winner who chooses an annuity paid over 29 years. Nearly all grand prize winners opt to take a cash payout, which for Friday night's drawing is an estimated $549.7 million. Despite the game's long odds of 1 in 302.6 million, players continued to purchase tickets as the size of the grand prize grew. Until Friday, the last time a Mega Millions player hit the top prize was Sept. 10.

The largest-ever Mega Millions jackpot ticket, worth $1.6 billion, was sold in Florida in August 2023. Two prizes for its compatriot Powerball lottery have been larger. Mega Millions and Powerball are sold in 45 states, as well as Washington, DC, and the US Virgin Islands. Powerball also is sold in Puerto Rico. Mega Millions ticket prices are set to rise from $2 to $5 in April.

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