A Mega Millions ticket sold in Newnan, Georgia, has made history, with a player winning an estimated $980 million grand prize on Friday night. This monumental win not only marks the largest prize in Georgia’s history, but it also concludes a prolonged drought spanning eight years without a jackpot winner.
The winning numbers drawn were 1, 8, 11, 12, 57, with the gold Mega Ball being 7. The ticket that secured the massive prize was purchased at a Publix supermarket situated about 40 miles southwest of Atlanta.
“We are thrilled to congratulate the largest winner in our state’s history,” stated Georgia Lottery President and CEO Gretchen Corbin in a press release. She emphasized the significance of the win, which has generated excitement across the state.
The lucky individual has the option to take the entire $980 million prize in installments over 30 years or opt for the immediate lump sum payment estimated at $452.2 million. Winners in Georgia have a duration of 180 days from the drawing date to claim their prizes.
In addition to the Georgia win, another player in Michigan achieved a significant victory, winning $3 million by matching all five white balls and utilizing the 3X multiplier.
This jackpot eclipses the previous record for lottery wins in Georgia, surpassing the $478 million Powerball prize won on October 23, 2024, by an anonymous player. The state is now home to 17 Mega Millions winners, marking a notable return to fortune after an eight-year gap without a winner.
The unidentified ticket holder in Georgia becomes the first Mega Millions player to match all six numbers since a man from Virginia did so on June 27, claiming a $348 million jackpot. Notably, there had been 39 consecutive drawings without a jackpot winner prior to this latest triumph.
The $980 million jackpot also ranks as the eighth-largest prize in the 29-year history of Mega Millions, surpassing the $810 million prize that was sold at a Texas gas station on September 10, 2024.
This grand win is particularly noteworthy as it follows a recent revamp of the Mega Millions game that took place in April, which involved raising ticket prices from $2 to $5. The overhaul aimed to produce larger prizes for non-jackpot winners and enhance the odds of winning the jackpot, along with increasing the starting jackpot to $50 million from the previous $20 million.
As the game resets to a new starting pot of $50 million for Tuesday’s drawing, players across the nation are undoubtedly inspired by the monumental win in Georgia, hoping to be the next to cash in during the holiday season.
