A historic event took place in the world of lotteries on June 4, 2023, as a lucky player from Illinois became the newest holder of a massive $560 million jackpot in the Mega Millions game. This marks the ninth-largest prize in Mega Millions history and is only surpassed by eight other jackpots that have been won since its inception.
The winning numbers for this life-changing draw were 19, 37, 40, 63, and 69. The Gold Mega Ball number was revealed as 17. This is the first time a jackpot-winning ticket has been sold online in Mega Millions history.
The Illinois State Lottery announced that the winner can choose between receiving their winnings as an annuity of $560 million, paid out over 30 years, or opting for a one-time cash payment of approximately $264 million. The lucky player has yet to come forward and claim their prize.
Two other players from California and Maryland each won $1 million by matching all five white balls drawn in the same draw. Had they purchased the Megaplier for an additional dollar, their winnings would have been worth $3 million instead.
The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350. The last time a jackpot was won was on March 26 when a player from New Jersey claimed the $1.13 billion prize. Before that, there had been no winner for over three months.
Mega Millions drawings take place every Tuesday and Friday at 11 p.m., and tickets cost $2 each.
The next Mega Millions drawing will be held on June 7, with an estimated jackpot of $20 million. The Powerball jackpot currently stands at $185 million, with the next drawing scheduled for June 6.
