A lucky player in New Jersey has emerged as the sole winner of the $1.13 billion Mega Millions jackpot from the recent Tuesday night drawing. This marks the first time the jackpot has been won this year, following a streak of 31 drawings since December 2023. The official jackpot amount will be finalized once sales from all participating jurisdictions are tallied, but the just-won $1.13 billion prize stands as the fifth-largest in Mega Millions history, with a cash option of $537.5 million.
After this monumental win, the jackpot has been reset to $20 million with a cash option of $9.5 million. The winning numbers from the March 26 drawing were 7, 11, 22, 29, 38, with the Mega Ball being 4 and the Megaplier at 2X.
This significant win in New Jersey comes after a prolonged period without a jackpot winner, with the last instance in the state occurring almost four years ago in July 2020. The identity of the fortunate player remains undisclosed at this time.
Congratulations poured in from lottery officials, with the Georgia Lottery President and CEO expressing delight over the jackpot win. The Mega Millions drawings take place in Atlanta every Tuesday and Friday at 11 p.m. ET, with the next drawing scheduled for Friday, March 29.
For those looking to try their luck, Mega Millions tickets cost $2 per play, offering nine ways to win prizes ranging from the jackpot to $2. Players select five numbers from 1 to 70 and one Mega Ball number from 1 to 25. The Megaplier feature, which can multiply non-jackpot prizes by two, three, four, or five times, is available for an additional $1 per play.
Players can purchase tickets in person at various retail locations or opt for online ticket ordering through platforms like Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. The Jackpocket app enables users to select their game, numbers, place orders, view tickets, and collect winnings conveniently via their mobile devices or computers.
For those interested in participating in Mega Millions or other lottery games, Jackpocket offers services in select U.S. states and territories, including Arizona, New Jersey, New York, and more. It's important to note that players must be of legal gambling age in their respective locations.
As the excitement of the recent Mega Millions win lingers, lottery enthusiasts eagerly await the next drawing, hoping to be the next lucky winner of this popular game of chance.
