A single ticket sold in Georgia has won an impressive $980 million Mega Millions jackpot, marking a significant milestone in lottery history. This prize is now the eighth largest Mega Millions jackpot ever recorded.
Details of the Winning Ticket
The drawing that led to this monumental win took place on November 14. The winner matched all six numbers: the white balls 1, 8, 11, 12, and 57, along with the gold Mega Ball 7. This substantial jackpot represents the largest prize awarded in November and is the fifth jackpot win of 2024.
Historical Context
The last time a Mega Millions jackpot surpassed this amount occurred in December 2024, when a California player won $1.269 billion. Since the last jackpot was claimed on June 27, 2024, in Virginia, there have been 40 drawings leading up to this win, which is a record number for the game.
Prizes Distributed
- Total non-jackpot prizes awarded: approximately $343.4 million.
- Twenty-one second-tier prizes of $2 million or more were won in multiple states including:
- Arizona
- California
- Connecticut
- Florida
- Georgia
- Illinois
- Iowa
- Michigan
- Mississippi
- New Jersey
- New York
- North Carolina
- Texas
- Virginia
Changes to Mega Millions Game Structure
This jackpot is the largest since major changes were made to the game format in April 2024. The ticket price increased from $2 to $5, which has accelerated the growth of jackpots and raised the minimum starting jackpot to $50 million. The current record remains a staggering $1.602 billion, won in Florida in August 2023.
Joshua Johnston, lead director for the Mega Millions Consortium, emphasized the significance of this win, stating that $980 million is the largest jackpot awarded since the changes to the game were implemented.
As interest in the Mega Millions lottery continues to grow, players are encouraged to play responsibly and stay informed about how to manage their winnings effectively.
