A Texas player won the $810 million Mega Millions jackpot on Tuesday night, but an even bigger prize from earlier this year – the fifth-largest jackpot in the game’s history – has yet to be claimed.
The first Mega Millions jackpot of 2024 was hit on March 26 for an estimated $1.128 billion. However, the New Jersey player who won the billion-dollar jackpot has not yet claimed his winnings, the lottery said.
According to Jackpocket, jackpot winners in New Jersey have up to a year to claim their Mega Millions prize.
Winners in New Jersey have the option to remain anonymous but must show valid identification when collecting their prize at lottery headquarters, the lottery said.
The second Mega Millions jackpot of the year was won by a player from Illinois on June 4. The jackpot was worth $552 million, the lottery said.
Here’s what you need to know about the unclaimed Mega Millions ticket.
Lottery winners: Massachusetts man who played the same lottery numbers for 20 years finally wins Mega Millions
What happens if no one wins the Mega Millions jackpot?
If a jackpot prize is not claimed, each state participating in the Mega Millions game will receive a refund of the entire amount it has paid in.
States use their unclaimed lottery winnings for different purposes, but typically unclaimed winnings remain in the state’s lottery fund.
In New Jersey, where the jackpot was won in March, lottery proceeds contribute to the state’s public employee pension fund. According to the lottery, teachers, police officers, firefighters and other public employees would benefit from this.
Table game winners: Chiefs fan wins $1.6 million in Las Vegas poker game after Kansas City beats Baltimore
Did anyone else win the September 10th drawing?
The Mega Millions jackpot was reset to $20 million after a Texas player won the $810 million jackpot on Tuesday.
If all five numbers on the white ball and the gold Mega Ball are correct, the Texas player has the opportunity to take home $409.3 million in cash, the lottery said.
The numbers were 1, 2, 16, 24 And 66 and the Mega Ball Was 6. The ticket was sold at Murphy USA 8848 in Sugar Land, Texas, the lottery said.
More Mega Millions players won millions in Tuesday’s drawing. Four lucky players from California, Florida, New York and Washington won $1 million after matching all the numbers on the white ball for Match 5, the lottery said.
The jackpot for the Friday, September 13th drawing is $20 million. According to the lottery, seven Mega Millions jackpots have been won on a Friday the 13th.
According to the lottery, a player who wins the jackpot on Friday could go home with $10.1 million in cash.
What are the biggest Mega Millions jackpots?
According to the lottery, the following jackpots are the 10 highest jackpots won through September 10:
- $1.602 billion, August 8, 2023; a player from Florida
- $1.537 billion, October 23, 2018; a player from South Carolina
- $1.348 billion, January 13, 2023; a player from Maine
- $1.337 billion, July 29, 2022; an Illinois player
- $1.128 billion, March 26, 2024; a payer from New Jersey
- $1.050 billion, January 22, 2021; a player from Michigan
- $810 million, September 10, 2024; a player from Texas
- $656 million, March 30, 2012; a player from Illinois, Kansas and Maryland
- $648 million, December 17, 2013; a player from California and Georgia
- $552 million, June 4, 2024; a player from Illinois
How to play Mega Millions
To purchase a ticket, you will need to visit your local supermarket, gas station, or grocery store. In some states, you can also purchase tickets online.
To play, you must select six numbers. Five numbers are white balls ranging from 1 to 70. The golden Mega Ball is a number between 1 and 25.
If you feel the odds are against you, ask for a “Quick Pick” or an “Easy Pick.” The computer will randomly generate the numbers for you.
For $1, players can add the “Megaplier,” which can multiply non-top prize winnings by two, three, four, or five times. The Megaplier is drawn on Tuesday and Friday before the Mega Millions numbers.
There are 15 Megapiler balls in total:
- 2Xfive balls
- 3-foldsix balls
- 4Xthree balls
- 5Xa ball
Where can you buy lottery tickets?
Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Lottery tickets may also be sold in some airport terminals.
You can also order your tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Texas, Washington, DC and West Virginia. With the Jackpocket app, you can select your lottery game and numbers, place your order, view your ticket and claim your winnings – all from your phone or home computer.
Jackpocket is the official digital lottery messenger of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue by referring viewers to Jackpocket services. Minimum age: 18, in Arizona: 21, in Northeast: 19. Not affiliated with any state lottery. Gambling problem? Call or text 1-877-8-HOPE-NY to HOPENY (467369) (NY); 1-800-327-5050 (MA); 1-877-MYLIMIT (OR); 1-800-981-0023 (PR); 1-800-GAMBLER (all others). See jackpocket.com/tos for full terms..
Contributors: Haadiza Ogwude.
