$1.58 billion Mega Millions jackpot winning ticket sold in Florida

2024-12-24 00:52:08 source: category:Stocks

One lucky player in Florida matched all six numbers in Tuesday night's drawing to win the estimated $1.58 billion Mega Millions jackpot, ending a stretch of lottery futility that had stretched for nearly four months.

The Florida Lottery announced shortly after the drawing that the winning ticket was sold in Neptune Beach, Florida, a city east of Jacksonville along the Atlantic coast.

Lottery officials announced that the Mega Millions drawing on Tuesday night would have a top prize of an estimated $1.58 billion, making it the largest jackpot the lottery has ever awarded. Tuesday's drawing had a cash option of $783.3 million, according to Mega Millions.

The jackpot had been rising since the spring, when a $20 million prize was won in Syracuse, New York, on April 18. Five other Mega Millions jackpots have been won this year, including a $1.348 billion haul in January, which at the time was the second-largest prize in the lottery game's history.

The final jackpot amount was not immediately known.

Mega Millions winning numbers for August 8

The winning numbers from Tuesday's drawing were 32, 19, 13, 33, and 20. The Mega Ball was 14 and the Megaplier was 2X.

Where is Neptune Beach, Florida? Mega Millions ticket sold at Publix

The winner has not yet been publicly identified, but the winning ticket was sold at a Publix on 630 Atlantic Blvd. in Neptune Beach, Florida, a city east of Jacksonville along the Atlantic coast.

Florida state law allows for a 90-day grace period to release the names of winners.

According to the Mega Millions, this is the fourth time a jackpot-winning ticket has been sold in Florida. The two previous wins were shared with other states, most recently when a $502 million jackpot was shared with California in October 2022.

It's over:$1.58 billion Mega Millions jackpot winning ticket is sold at a Florida Publix

How to play Mega Millions

Tickets to Mega Millions cost $2 per play. There are nine total ways to win a prize.

To play, pick five numbers from 1 to 70 and one Mega Ball number from 1 to 25. You can choose Easy Pick or Quick Pick to have the terminal randomly pick numbers for you. You win the jackpot by matching all six winning numbers in the drawing.

Numbers to knowCommonly drawn numbers could help you win Mega Millions

What is the Megaplier?

Most states offer the Megaplier feature, which increases nonjackpot prizes by two, three, four and five times.

It costs an additional $1 per play. Before each regular Mega Millions drawing, the Megaplier is drawn. From a pool of 15 balls, five are marked with "2X," three with "4X" and one with "5X."

What is the largest Mega Millions jackpot ever?

Here are the top five Mega Millions jackpots:

  1. $1.58 billion from one winning ticket in Florida in August 2023.
  2. $1.537 billion from one winning ticket in South Carolina in October 2018.
  3. $1.348 billion from one winning ticket in Maine in January 2023.
  4. $1.337 billion from one winning ticket in Illinois in July 2022.
  5. $1.05 billion from one winning ticket in Michigan in January 2021.

Contributing: Scott Butler, Jacksonville Florida Times-Union; John Connolly, NorthJersey.com; The Associated Press

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