Someone finally hit the Mega Millions jackpot – on a Friday the 13th no less.
A lucky ticket sold in Maine matched Friday night’s winning numbers to score the lottery game’s estimated $1.35 billion top prize.
Friday’s prize is the second-largest jackpot Mega Millions has ever seen and the fourth-largest in US lottery history. The win also marks the first time a Mega Millions jackpot has ever been won in Maine, according to Mega Millions.
After 25 consecutive draws without a jackpot winner, the Mega Millions top prize has been climbing higher and higher over the past few months.
Friday’s winner, whose name has yet to be announced, overcame an extremely slim chance of taking home the Mega Millions jackpot – which is about 1 in 302.6 million.
Why have lottery prizes gotten so big? Another record-breaking Mega Millions jackpot is up for grabs on Friday. This is why.
Pictures:How much do you win after taxes on Mega Millions? The $1.35 billion jackpot shrinks significantly
To claim the full $1.35 billion, the winner would have to put the money into an annuity with annual payments over 29 years. Most jackpot recipients prefer the discounted but faster cash option, which was estimated to be worth $724.6 million before Friday night’s drawing.
Superstitious lottery players may also note that Friday’s draw marked the seventh time there was a Mega Millions jackpot winner on Friday the 13th.
Mega Millions Winning Numbers: Friday 1/13/23
The winning numbers for Friday night’s draw were 30-43-45-46-61, Mega Ball: 14 and Megaplier was 2X.
Who won Mega Millions last night? Where was the ticket sold?
One lucky ticket sold in Maine matched all six numbers to win the estimated $1.35 billion Mega Millions jackpot on Friday night, Mega Millions said.
The name of the winner is not yet known at this time. If the winner chooses to come forward, Tuesday would be the earliest to do so, Maine State Lottery Deputy Director Michael Boardman confirmed to USA TODAY. Tuesday is the next day the state lottery office is open.
But Boardman also noted that the winner could choose to remain anonymous — adding that the state lottery encourages the winner to seek financial advice.
What should I do if I win the lottery? This is why experts say you should keep your winning ticket quiet and seek reliable financial advice.
The ticket was sold at Hometown Gas & Grill in Lebanon, Maine, the Maine State Lottery said. The store will receive a $50,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket, Boardman said.
In addition to a jackpot winner, more than 7 million winning tickets were sold in the other prize tiers of the lottery game. Nationally, 14 tickets matched all five white balls to win $1 million each, Mega Millions said.
Four of the winning Match-5 tickets were sold in New York and two were sold in California. The rest came from Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Texas.
Jackpot of $1.35 billion won on Friday the 13th
Mega Millions’ estimated jackpot of $1.35 billion was won on Friday the 13th, which may catch the attention of some superstitious lottery players.
Friday’s prize is the seventh Mega Millions jackpot won on Friday the 13th according to the lottery game over the years.
Friday also marked seven years after three lottery tickets shared the then largest lottery jackpot in US history. On January 13, 2016 (unfortunately a Wednesday, not a Friday), three winners took home the $1.586 billion Powerball prize.
What are the odds of winning Mega Millions?
A gigantic jackpot attracts many players, but it is important to note that the chances of taking home a Mega Millions top prize are extremely small. Experts emphasize that people who participate in the lottery should not buy more lottery tickets than they can afford.
“Imagine writing the letters ‘Mega Millions’ on separate pieces of paper, shuffling them up and letting your cat choose letters at random. Your cat is five times more likely than you to spell ‘Mega Millions’ correctly to win Matthew Kovach, assistant professor of economics at Virginia Tech, told USA TODAY this week.
What are my chances of winning the lottery? Here’s what you need to know.
Kovach added that you’re more likely to be struck by lightning twice in your lifetime than to win the lottery.
- The odds of winning the jackpot are 302,575,350 to 1.
- The odds of matching all five cues are 12,607,306 to 1.
Biggest lottery prizes in US history
- $2.04 billion, Powerball, November 7, 2022: Won in California.
- $1.586 billion, Powerball, January 13, 2016: Three winners in California, Florida, Tennessee.
- $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, October 23, 2018: Won in South Carolina.
- $1.35 billion, Mega Millions, January 13: Won in Maine
- $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022: Won in Illinois.
- $1.05 billion, Mega Millions, January 22, 2021: Won in Michigan.
- $768.4 million, Powerball, March 27, 2019: Won in Wisconsin.
- $758.7 million, Powerball, August 23, 2017: Won in Massachusetts.
- $730 million, Powerball, January 20, 2021: Won in Maryland.
- $699.8 million, Powerball, Oct. 4. 2021: Won in California.
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Contributions: The Associated Press. Jennifer Sangalang, Florida today.
