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The popular American Mega Millions lottery continues to attract aspiring millionaires hoping to bag the biggest jackpot in history. They’re not alone with plenty of lottery players getting lucky since the first draw on September 6th, 1996.
In the past 28 years, some of the largest Mega Millions results have made it possible for winners to reach for the stars and live their dreams. But what do those big wins look like and is it worth buying tickets for this lottery? Let’s look at the top 10 biggest Mega Millions ever won plus those that make playing the game a definite must!
Contents
What Were the Largest Mega Millions Jackpots Ever Won?
The online lottery is easy enough to play, especially the Mega Millions! All you have to do is pick five numbers between 1 and 70 from one pool and one gold Mega ball/number from 1 to 25. There’s an Easy Pick option if you prefer having the numbers chosen for you.
You have to match all six numbers in a draw to hit the main prize and the jackpot amount is dependent on the sales. There are nine opportunities to win prize money varying from the jackpot to the lowest prize of $2.00.
The odds of winning the jackpot stand at 1:302,575,350 making it challenging to become one of the largest Mega Millions millionaires overnight! But this shouldn’t deter you from taking a chance and using methods such as saying a mantra to win the lottery!
The tickets cost $2.00 per play and drawings take place on Tuesdays and Fridays at 11 pm ET. Avid Mega Millions players worldwide can play the game using an online licensed lottery site such as Lotto Agent which also offers a variety of other popular lotteries. To keep you inspired, here are the top 10 biggest Mega Millions jackpots ever won in history!
1. $1.602 Billion (August 8, 2023)
Saltines Holdings LLC claimed the biggest-ever Mega Millions jackpot in August 2023 after matching all six winning numbers. The Florida-based entity purchased the lucky ticket at a Publix in Neptune Beach. The jackpot became known as the MEGA BILLIONS!
2. $1.537 Billion (October 23, 2018)
Another Mega Millions (actually billion) was won in October 2018 by an anonymous player from Simpsonville, South Carolina. Not only did the small town inherit an instant billionaire but the state benefited by getting $61,000,000 from income tax on the winnings.
3. $1.348 Billion (January 13, 2023)
Another billionaire was made overnight when the winner matched all six winning numbers in the January 13th, 2023 Friday drawing. This was the first time that a Maine player won the Mega Millions jackpot. The unknown player purchased their ticket from Hometown Gas & Grill in Lebanon, Maine.
4. $1.337 Billion (July 29, 2022)
Two Illinois winners sharing a single ticket won the fourth-biggest Mega Millions in history when the drawing took place on July 29th, 2022. The duo remained anonymous while the state gained 23 cents on every dollar made in sales from the Illinois Lottery. This was spent on education showing that lotteries really do benefit public schools.
5. $1.128 Billion (March 26, 2024)
The first 2024 Mega Millions jackpot was won by a New Jersey player who purchased their ticket from ShopRite Liquor in Neptune Township. The retailer scores a bonus prize of $60,000 for selling the ticket and the winner can opt for a cash payout of $536.6 million. This was the largest New Jersey Mega Millions jackpot ever won!
6. $1.05 Billion (January 21, 2021)
A lottery pool called the “Wolverine FLL Club” made up of four players won just over a billion in the first month of 2021. The Detroit, Michigan winning lottery players were the only ticket holders with the lucky numbers with the winnings shared between the four of them. The ecstatic winners planned to use the winnings to support their families and charities in the state.
7. $656 Million (March 20, 2012)
Three lucky winners shared the Mega Millions jackpot from the March 20th, 2012 drawing. The separate winning tickets were bought in Illinois, Kansas, and Maryland with two winners opting for the Quick Pick method! Each winner walked away with approximately $105 million after paying taxes on their winnings.
8. $648 Million (December 17, 2013)
The December 17th, 2013 drawing was won by two separate ticket holders with one winner based in California and the other in Georgia. Each winner walked away with $324 million with the Georgian lucky player quitting his job immediately after double-checking his ticket!
9. $543 Million (July 24, 2018)
A pool of 11 co-workers won the July 24th, 2018 jackpot of $543 million. The colleagues worked for Wells Fargo in San Jose, California which no doubt helped them to make good financial decisions on how to manage their windfall. The jackpot was shared equally between the 11 lottery pool winners.
10. $536 Million (July 8, 2016)
After buying five Quick Pick tickets while on a road trip, the winning Indiana couple was over the moon to discover they had won the jackpot! The couple and their family chose to remain anonymous after claiming their prize through an Indiana law firm.
Other Mega Million Wins That Made History
The top 10 biggest Mega Millions ever won in history are impressive. But, there have been other winnings, not as big but certainly sufficient, to make any player walk away with a smile! Here are notable winnings that have occurred over the years since the launch of the Mega Millions lottery.
New Jersey: $533 Million
This was the second-biggest Mega Millions jackpot ever won in New Jersey when the lucky ticket holder matched all six numbers in the March 30th, 2018 drawing. The winner, Richard Wahl, opted for a lump sum payout of approximately $175 million once taxes were paid. The overnight millionaire fixed up his 1964 Corvette and intended to donate to his favorite charities.
California: $522 Million
Another Quick Pick winner, this time in San Diego, won the jackpot from the June 7th, 2019 draw. The San Diego winner, Laarni Bibal, chose to take the lump sum payment of $340 million to settle her debts and purchase a new home.
Pennsylvania: $516 Million
A trust called “Peace of Mind” with five members won this half-billion jackpot on May, 21st, 2021. The winners chose to stay anonymous to keep their lives as normal as possible and opted for a cash lump sum payment of $348 million. Guess what? They won with a Quick Pick ticket!
Florida: $451 Million
A 20-year-old Quick Pick (yes!) ticket holder walked away with the January 5th, 2018 jackpot prize. He used his $5 winnings from a scratch-off ticket to enter the Mega Millions draw and the rest is history! The $451 million winner, who can’t remain anonymous under Floriday law, said he was going to take care of his family and buy a new home.
New York: $437 Million
What better way to celebrate New Year’s Day than to win New York’s biggest-ever Mega Millions jackpot? That’s what happened to 23 lucky Long Island co-workers when their ticket won all six numbers drawn on January 1st, 2019. The winners shared the lump sum payment with each walking away with nearly $8 million each.
Final Thoughts
History shows that you can win one of the largest jackpots when you play Mega Millions. You could become the next biggest Mega Millions winner when you buy your ticket at one of the authorized retailers or online. What’s holding you back? Take a chance with a Quick Pick or choose your own numbers but either way, you could be the next billionaire in the making.
FAQs
Can the Mega Millions Lotto Be Played from Any Country?
One of the rules of Mega Millions is that no ticket for the game may be purchased outside of the US. However, foreigners are welcome to play and claim prizes within the country but bear in mind that non-citizens are eligible for higher taxes in some states. Non-US jackpot winners need to submit their passports when claiming their winnings.
Another option for lottery players abroad who want to participate in Mega Millions is to play online with a licensed site such as theLotter. These online lottery agents purchase tickets on your behalf at authorized retailers in the US.
How Do I Claim a Small Mega Millions Prize from Outside of the US?
If you’re playing the Mega Millions outside of the US through an online lottery site, your smaller winnings are normally transferred directly to your e-wallet account. Smaller prizes of over $600 require foreign winners to produce some form of identification such as a passport when making a claim.
It’s important to note that your winnings, no matter how small, are taxable and the amount varies depending on which US state you bought your ticket from. Most foreign winners are taxed higher than US citizens.
How Much Does a Mega Millions Lotto Ticket Cost?
A Mega Millions Lotto ticket costs $2.00 per play. The cost may vary if you’re playing online through a licensed lottery website which may charge a small handling fee to purchase your ticket. However, it’s important to note that most reputable online lottery sites don’t charge commission on winnings.
Why Do So Many Mega Millions Winners Remain Anonymous?
Many Mega Millions winners choose to keep their identity private for good reasons. Remaining anonymous allows winners to avoid public scrutiny and being harassed for loans or donations. However, not every state allows Mega Millions winners to hide their names.
Only 17 participating states allow Mega Millions lottery winners to remain anonymous so if this is important to you, make sure you buy your ticket where anonymity is allowed.
These states include Arizona, Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, North Dakota, South Carolina, Texas, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming.
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