Dec. 28 (UPI) — The Mega Millions lottery has a winner for the first time in three months: a ticket worth an estimated $1.22 billion was sold at a convenience store in California, lottery officials announced Saturday.
It’s the fifth-highest prize in the 28-year history of the game. The biggest prize was $1.602 billion on Aug. 8, 2023, in Neptune Beach, Calif., won by Saltines Holdings, LLC.
The sole $2 ticket Friday was sold at a Circle K store in the Shasta County city of Cottonwood in Northern California, California Lottery announced. That retailer will receive a $1 million bonus.
The numbers drawn Friday were 3, 7, 37, 49, 55 and a yellow Mega Ball of 6.
The last Mega Million top prize winner was $810 million in Texas on Sept. 10.
The pot has hit $1 billion seven times.
The lump sum payout for the $1.22 billion drawing is an estimated $549.7 million. Or the winner can also choose to receive the $1.22 billion annuity paid out over 30 years.
Also federal taxes of 25% and states taxes are taken. Eight states don’t have a state income tax, so they don’t receive money like in California.
“What an amazing present this holiday season! At an incredibly special time of year, this is both an incredibly special moment for our winner, and for all the great organizations and causes that benefit from lottery ticket sales around the country,” said Joshua Johnston, lead director for the Mega Millions Consortium, told CBS Sacramento.
The chances of winning are incredibly slim — less than the likelihood of being struck by lightning. Players have a 1 in 302,575,350 chance of winning.
Mega Millions said there were more than 5.6 million winners across all prize tiers during Friday’s drawing. Five tickets matched five numbers: one each in California, Missouri, Texas and two in California. They are worth $787,543. The lowest payout is $2 for the Mega Ball.
In this game there are 70 white balls and 25 Mega gold balls. Drawings are on Tuesday and Friday at 11 p.m.
The other nationwide lottery is Powerball is $2.04 billion won by a man in California.
Since Oct. 7, 2015, the game has used 69 white balls 26 Powerballs.
Drawings are on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. Tickets are sold in 45 states, plus in Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
States without lotteries are Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada and Utah. Also they can be bought in the District of Columbia and U.S. Virgin Islands and in Puerto Rico only for Powerball.