Mystery Surrounds $1.22B Mega Millions Jackpot: Who’s the Lucky Winner?

In a stunning turn of events, one lucky Mega Millions player in California will welcome the New Year with an enormous jackpot. A ticket worth an estimated $1.22 billion was sold for the drawing held last Friday, breaking a three-month dry spell for jackpot winners.

While the winner’s identity remains a mystery, the ticket was purchased at Sunshine Food and Gas, located at 3505 Rhonda Road in Cottonwood, California, according to the California Lottery. This latest jackpot marks the fifth largest in Mega Millions history.

In addition to the grand prize winner, five other players have become millionaires following the draw. Two hail from California, with additional winners from Arizona, Texas, and Missouri. The jackpot had been festering since September 10, when it was last claimed at $810 million in Texas.

The recent drawing on Christmas Eve saw various participants celebrate with million-dollar winnings, although only three Mega Millions jackpots have been won this year. Notably, one ticket worth $1.13 billion was purchased in New Jersey in March; the winner has yet to be publicly identified as the state allows anonymity.

According to Joshua Johnston, lead director of the Mega Millions Consortium, the holiday season likely contributed to ticket purchases. “What a gift that would turn out to be if you ended up with a ticket worth a $1.15 billion jackpot,” he remarked.

For those interested, the winning numbers from the December 27 drawing were 3, 7, 37, 49, 55, with a MegaBall of 6 and a 3x MegaPlier. Players can opt for either an annuity, paid over 29 years, or a cash payout, which for this drawing is approximately $549.7 million. Matching just the first five numbers guarantees a prize of at least $1 million.

Mega Millions drawings occur every Tuesday and Friday at 11 p.m. Eastern Time, providing players plenty of opportunities to try their luck.

The largest Mega Millions jackpots in history include:

• $1.602 billion – August 8, 2023 – Florida
• $1.537 billion – October 23, 2018 – South Carolina
• $1.348 billion – January 13, 2023 – Maine
• $1.337 billion – July 29, 2022 – Illinois
• $1.22 billion – December 27, 2024 – California
• $1.128 billion – March 26, 2024 – New Jersey
• $1.050 billion – January 22, 2021 – Michigan
• $810 million – September 10, 2024 – Texas
• $656 million – March 30, 2012 – Kansas/Illinois/Maryland
• $648 million – December 17, 2013 – California/Georgia
• $552 million – June 4, 2024 – Illinois

The Associated Press contributed to this report.