$1.1 Billion Mega Millions Jackpot Remains Unclaimed After Six Months

A Texas player has won the $810 million Mega Millions jackpot in the latest drawing, but the excitement doesn’t stop there. Earlier this year, a staggering jackpot of $1.1 billion—the fifth largest in Mega Millions history—remains unclaimed.

The first Mega Millions jackpot of 2024 saw a player from New Jersey take home an estimated $1.128 billion on March 26. However, as of now, this winner has yet to claim their enormous prize. New Jersey lottery rules allow winners up to one year to claim their rewards.

While winners have the option to remain anonymous, they still need to present valid identification when collecting their winnings at the lottery headquarters, according to the guidelines provided by Jackpocket, a lottery ticket courier.

In June, the second Mega Millions jackpot of the year was awarded to a player in Illinois, who won a prize of $552 million. This adds to the growing number of significant jackpots up for grabs in recent months.

The tickets for these lucrative prizes have drawn significant public interest and speculation about the potential for remaining unclaimed. In cases where jackpot prizes go unclaimed, the money contributed by each participating state returns to that state’s lottery fund.

Each state utilizes its unclaimed lottery funds for different purposes. In New Jersey, for instance, the funds help support retirement plans for public servants such as teachers, police officers, and firefighters.

After the recent win in Texas, the Mega Millions jackpot has reset to $20 million. This raises the stakes for players eager to share in the next big prize. If someone wins the upcoming drawing, they could potentially take home about $10.1 million in cash.

The winning numbers for the Texas jackpot were 1, 2, 16, 24, and 66, with the Mega Ball being 6. The ticket itself was purchased at a Murphy USA gas station in Sugar Land, Texas.

In addition to the jackpot winner, four other players—hailing from California, Florida, New York, and Washington—matched all the correct white ball numbers and each won $1 million.

The lottery has recorded numerous large jackpots, illustrating the game’s appeal. For instance, the Mega Millions jackpot winners have included some of the highest amounts in lottery history. Unclaimed or not, this pattern of large payouts continues to attract attention.

The current list of top Mega Millions jackpots boasts some staggering figures. It includes the monumental $1.602 billion won on August 8, 2023, by a Florida player, followed by other massive tickets won in South Carolina, Maine, Illinois, and Michigan among others.

To participate in Mega Millions, players typically need to visit local convenience stores, gas stations, or grocery stores. In certain states, online ticket purchases are also available.

To play, participants choose six numbers: five white balls ranging from 1 to 70, and a golden Mega Ball, which is a single number between 1 and 25. For those feeling lucky, a “Quick Pick” option allows a computer to generate random numbers for them.

Moreover, players can enhance their potential winnings by adding the “Megaplier” feature, giving them a chance to multiply non-grand prize winnings by two, three, four, or five times. This feature is drawn before the Mega Millions numbers are revealed.

The Megaplier option includes various multipliers—five balls of 2X, six balls of 3X, three balls of 4X, and one ball of 5X.

In summary, with so much at stake and substantial amounts yet to be claimed, interest in the Mega Millions continues to grow, exemplifying how lottery gaming captivates players across the nation.

Source: USA TODAY