$227 Million Mega Millions Jackpot Won by Single Ticket
A Mega Millions jackpot worth $227 million has been won by a single ticket in Texas. The prize represents the largest lottery prize ever won in the Lone Star State.
The winning numbers for the Tuesday, September 24th Mega Millions draw were: 6, 14, 24, 42 and 46, with Mega Ball 9. The Megaplier was 4. More than 770,000 tickets won a prize in the draw, though only one matched all five main numbers and the Mega Ball to clinch the jackpot. One other ticket came close to the top prize, matching five main numbers to win in the second prize division. The runner-up ticket also matched the Megaplier, instantly boosting their winnings from $1 million to $4 million.
The sole jackpot-winning ticket was purchased from Lakeline Express Mart in Cedar Park, Austin. The winner is yet to lay claim to the jackpot, leading to speculation in the local community about who it could belong to. The Texas Lottery’s director, Gary Grief, gave the following statement: “We look forward to meeting Texas' newest millionaire and we are excited to have another Mega Millions jackpot winner here in Texas. If you have the winning ticket, we encourage you to sign the ticket, put it in a safe place, seek financial and legal advice, and call the Texas Lottery before coming to Austin to claim the prize.”
Though the winner has not yet come forward to claim their prize, it is known that they opted to receive the cash option instead of the annuity on their ticket – meaning they will receive a lump sum of $157 million. The retailer that sold the ticket will also receive a prize, in the form of a $1 million commission.
Biggest Jackpot Winners in Texas
The $227 million prize is not only the largest Mega Millions jackpot won in Texas, but the largest lottery amount ever won by a single person in the state. The jackpot’s annuity value is more than 50 per cent larger than the previous Mega Millions record, set nine years prior: in 2010, William R. Kiefer from Katy won the entirety of a $144 million prize.
Texas was also a key participant in the record $564.1 million Powerball jackpot, offered in February 2015. The prize was split between three tickets from Texas, North Carolina and Puerto Rico respectively, guaranteeing each a $188 million portion of the jackpot.
The Mega Millions jackpot has reset to $40 million ahead of the next draw on Friday September 27th. The twice-weekly lottery draw can be played in any of 44 participating states, with ticket sales closing up to an hour before each draw takes place. You can purchase tickets from any authorised retailer in these jurisdictions, or alternatively choose your numbers online.