Mega Millions: Californian hits billion-dollar jackpot, Georgians settle for fancy dinner
ATLANTA - The Mega Millions drawing on Dec. 27 revealed the winning numbers as 3, 7, 37, 49, and 55, with a Mega Ball of 6 and a MegaPlier cranked up to 3x. The jackpot, a jaw-dropping $1.22 billion, found its forever home with one incredibly lucky Californian. But the riches didn’t end there—five other players joined the millionaire club, including two more Californians, and one player each from Arizona, Texas, and Missouri.
The Jackpot's Billion-Dollar Adventure
This $1.22 billion treasure ranks as the fifth-largest jackpot in Mega Millions history, right behind the record-breaking $1.602 billion claimed in Florida in August 2023. The pot had been brewing since September 10, 2024, when a Texan scooped up $810 million, leaving the rest of us dreaming.
For the curious (or the optimistic), winners of this behemoth prize have two options: the "patience pays" annuity over 29 years or a life-changing $549.7 million cash lump sum. Either way, that kind of money can make you forget what day of the week it is.
Here are the largest Mega Millions jackpots in history, along with the states where the winning tickets were sold:
$1.602 billion – Aug. 8, 2023: Florida.
$1.537 billion – Oct. 23, 2018: South Carolina.
$1.348 billion – Jan. 13, 2023: Maine.
$1.337 billion – July 29, 2022: Illinois.
$1.13 billion – March 26, 2024: New Jersey.
$1.22 billion – Dec. 27, 2024: California.
$1.05 billion – Jan. 22, 2021: Michigan.
$656 million – March 30, 2012: Illinois, Kansas, and Maryland (three winning tickets).
$648 million – Dec. 17, 2013: California and Georgia (two winning tickets).
$543 million – July 24, 2018: California.
Georgia's Mega Millions Dreamers
Though the billion-dollar bounty landed on the West Coast, Georgia players are keeping the faith. The next Mega Millions drawing on Dec. 31, promises another shot at a growing jackpot. Sure, the odds of winning the grand prize are a sobering 1 in 302.6 million, but hey, the odds of walking away with any prize are a much friendlier 1 in 24.
In the latest round, Georgians didn’t snag the big one, but they didn’t go home empty-handed either. Three lucky folks claimed $10,000 each, 116 winners pocketed $500, and 297 players took home $200. Not exactly yacht money, but definitely worth a celebratory dinner.
Final note. The winning ticket – the big one, that is – was sold at a Circle K in Shasta County in Cottonwood, California. And, in total, there were more than 31. 4 million winning tickets across all prize tiers during the 31-drawing run before someone hit the big one.