A Texas Mega Millions player has won an estimated $800 million, according to the lottery game.
The athlete, who has not been recognized, is the first to match all six numbers since June. The winning ticket was sold at a Murphy USA convenience store and petrol station in Sugar Land, Texas. The player chose a Quick Pick ticket, which involves a machine selecting the numbers.
The winning numbers were white balls 1, 2, 16, 24, and 66, as well as the gold Mega Ball 6.
According to a news release from the Texas Lottery, the Texas winner chose to receive a lump payment when they purchased their ticket. The lump payout is projected to be $404.2 million, pre-tax.
The player has 180 days from the drawing date to redeem the prize. The Texas Lottery announced that the store that sold the ticket is eligible for a $1 million incentive.
This is just the third Mega Millions jackpot victory in 2024. A New Jersey player won $1.128 billion in March, while an Illinois player took home $552 million in June.
According to the lottery game, this is the 15th Mega Millions jackpot won in Texas, and the Texas Lottery reports that it is the state’s greatest lottery jackpot reward.
“We are beyond thrilled to celebrate Texas’ largest-ever jackpot winner and can’t wait to meet and congratulate them in person,” said Ryan Mindell, the Texas Lottery’s executive director. “If you are the lucky winner of the winning ticket, make sure you sign it, keep it in a safe place, consult financial and legal counsel, and then contact the Texas Lottery before traveling to Austin to receive the award.
The $800 million grand prize is not the only amount awarded. Four of the tickets matched the five white numbers that were drawn. Each of these players wins the $1 million second-tier prize. Second-tier winners bought their tickets in several states, including California, Florida, New York, and Washington.
Another 47 players won the game’s third-tier reward by matching four white balls and the Mega Ball. Ten of those players had spent an additional $1 to add a Megaplier to their ticket, and they earned $40,000. The remaining 37 players will receive $10,000 apiece.
The next Mega Millions drawing will be on Friday, September 13. The lottery said that the prize would be reset to its existing beginning value of $20 million.
Friday the 13th may appear to be an unlucky day, yet seven Mega Millions jackpots have been won on that date, according to the lottery game. This includes a whopping $1.348 billion prize won in Maine on January 13, 2023.