(This story will be updated with new information.)
Can a $2 Mega Millions ticket make you a multimillionaire? It happened over a week ago, after someone became a millionaire 800 times over. And while that ticket was purchased in another state, a ticket purchased in Florida was also a big winner.
A single lucky ticket purchased in Texas matched all five numbers plus the Mega Ball in the Tuesday, Sept. 10, Mega Millions drawing for $800 million. The jackpot now stands at $47 million for Friday, Sept. 20, with a cash option for $23.5 million. Check back at 11 p.m. EST for Friday’s winning numbers.
In case you’re wondering, Tuesday’s winning numbers were 14-31-48-57-64, and the Mega Ball was 9. Megaplier was 3x. While those numbers rolled over, there was one big winner in Tuesday night’s Mega Millions drawing. A ticket purchased in Oklahoma matched 5 plus the Megaplier for a $3 million prize.
Texas Lottery officials said the $800 million winning ticket was a quick ticket purchased at Murphy USA in Sugar Land near Houston.
Four other tickets matched 5 other $1 million prizes, including one in Florida. The other tickets were purchased in California, New York and Washington. The Florida match 5 ticket was purchased at the Big Boss Store, 1739 U.S. 331 South, Defuniak Springs.
In case you’re wondering what the winning numbers were in the Mega Millions drawing on Tuesday, September 10th: 1-2-16-24-66 and the Mega Ball was 6. Megaplier was 4x.
Mega Millions tickets start at $2 each. Below are some frequently asked questions about the game, when winning tickets expire in Florida (it varies by state), and lottery odds. Good luck!
What were the Mega Millions winning numbers for Friday, September 20, 2024?
Mega Millions lottery drawings are on Tuesdays and Fridays at 11pm EDT. Check back at 11pm EDT for winning numbers. We’ll see if there’s a winner or another rollover.
When is the next Mega Millions lottery drawing?
Mega Millions drawings are held on Tuesdays and Fridays at 11:00 p.m. EDT. The next Mega Millions lottery drawing is on Tuesday, September 24, 2024 at 11:00 p.m. EDT.
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How long has Mega Millions been going on?
The latest Mega Millions lottery series began on Friday, September 13, after a ticket in Texas won $800 million for matching all five numbers and the Mega Ball for $800 million. It took just over three months for the $20 million jackpot to grow to $800 million.
Below is an overview of the lottery draws and how the jackpot has grown over time.
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Friday September 20: $47 million
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Tuesday, September 17: $31 million
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Friday September 13: $20 million
How long do you have to cash in a winning Florida Lottery ticket?
Florida Lottery prizes must be claimed within 180 days (six months) from the date of the drawing. To claim a one-time cash payment option, a winner has within the first 60 days of the applicable drawing date to claim it.
What are the odds of winning Mega Millions?
The odds of winning are quite low. According to the Mega Millions site, players have a 1 in 302,575,350 chance of matching all five white balls plus the gold Mega Ball. Prizes range from $2 (for matching the Mega Ball) to the top jackpot, which varies.
Does the Florida Lottery announce lottery winners? Can you remain anonymous if you win the lottery in Florida?
According to the Florida Lottery website, winners cannot remain anonymous: “Florida law requires the Florida Lottery to provide data containing information such as the winner’s name, city of residence, game won, date won, and amount won to third parties who request this information.”
However, the site states that “the names of lottery winners claiming prizes of $250,000 or more will be temporarily exempt from disclosure for 90 days from the date the prize is claimed, unless the winner otherwise waives these rights.”
Lottery experts and attorneys say there are ways to remain anonymous if you win.
Top 10 Biggest Mega Millions Lottery Jackpots
According to megamillions.com, as of Friday, September 20, 2024, these are the largest Mega Millions prizes in the game’s history.
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The largest Mega Millions jackpot won on a single ticket was $1.58 billion for the Aug. 8, 2023, drawing. Final sales pushed the top prize to $1.602 billion. The winning ticket was sold at a Publix in Neptune Beach, Florida. Saltines Holdings LLC of Miami, Florida, claimed the prize.
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The second-largest Mega Millions jackpot was $1.537 billion and was won in South Carolina on October 23, 2018.
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1.348 billion won in Maine on January 13, 2023
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1.337 billion won in Illinois on July 29, 2022
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1.128 billion won in Neptune, New Jersey, on March 26, 2024
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1.050 billion won in Michigan on January 22, 2021
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800 million won in Texas on September 10, 2024
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$552 Million Won in Illinois on June 4, 2024
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543 Million Won in California on July 24, 2018
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536 million won in Indiana on July 8, 2016
When have lottery jackpots reached $1 billion or more? How many times have Mega Millions and Powerball lottery jackpots reached $2 billion?
As of September 17, 2024, there have been 11 lottery jackpots that have reached or exceeded $1 billion. Only one time has a jackpot surpassed $2 billion.
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$2.04 Billion Powerball Prize, November 7, 2022, Edwin Castro of Altadena, California
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$1.73 Billion Powerball Prize, October 11, 2023, Theodorus Struyck of California (ticket purchased at Midway Market in California)
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$1.586 Billion Powerball Prize, January 13, 2016, Marvin and Mae Acosta of California, Maureen Smith and David Kaltschmidt of Melbourne Beach, Florida, and John and Lisa Robinson of Munford, Tennessee
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$1.58 Billion Mega Millions Prize, August 8, 2023, Saltines Holdings LLC of Miami, Florida
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$1.537 Billion Mega Millions Prize, October 23, 2018, Won by Anonymous Player in South Carolina
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$1.348 Billion Mega Millions Prize, January 13, 2023, LaKoma Island Investments, LLC, with the ticket purchased in Lebanon, Maine
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$1.337 Billion Mega Millions Prize, July 29, 2022, Won by Anonymous Team Using a Ticket Purchased in Des Plaines, Illinois
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Powerball Prize of $1.326 Billion, April 6, 2024, Cheng and Duanpen Saephan and Laiza Chao from Oregon
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Mega Millions prize of $1.128 billion, March 26, 2024, won by an anonymous winner in New Jersey with the ticket purchased at ShopRite Liquor No. 781 in Neptune Township, New Jersey
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Powerball Prize of $1.08 Billion, July 19, 2023, Yanira Alvarez of California
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Mega Millions prize of $1.050 billion, January 22, 2021, won by the Wolverine FLL Club of Oakland County, Michigan
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Has anyone won the Mega Millions drawing before Friday, September 20, 2024?
