The California Lottery confirmed the winning ticket was purchased at a Circle K store in Cottonwood, Shasta County. The ticket matched all six numbers drawn: 3, 7, 37, 49, 55, and a Mega Ball of 6. It was the sole ticket nationwide to achieve this feat in Friday’s drawing.
This marks the first Mega Millions jackpot winner since September 10, when an $810 million prize was claimed in Texas. It is also the third jackpot-winning ticket of the year and the seventh in Mega Millions history to surpass $1 billion.
The winner has the option of receiving a lump sum payout of an estimated $549.7 million or an annuity of $1.22 billion paid over 30 years. Lottery officials have highlighted the positive impact of ticket sales on various charitable causes.
In addition to the grand prize winner, two other tickets sold in California, specifically in Roseville and San Bernadino, each matched five of six numbers and will receive $787,543. Three additional tickets matching five numbers were sold in Texas, Arizona, and Missouri.
Mega Millions stated that Friday's drawing produced over 5.6 million winners across all prize tiers. Moreover, the 31-drawing run prior to the jackpot win resulted in over 31.4 million winning tickets across various prize levels.
