Current:Home > StocksWho won the $810 million Mega Millions jackpot in Texas? We may never know. -DataFinance
Who won the $810 million Mega Millions jackpot in Texas? We may never know.
View
Date:2025-04-16 15:04:22
Someone in Texas has won the $810 million Mega Millions game, making them the third Mega Millions jackpot winner of the year. But we may never know who bought the winning ticket in the Houston suburb of Sugar Land and scored a very sweet win.
The winner has the option to claim the prize anonymously because the Lone Star State allows winners of jackpots of over $1 million to keep their identity a secret.
"We are beyond thrilled to celebrate Texas’ largest-ever jackpot winner and can’t wait to meet and congratulatethem in person,” Ryan Mindell, executive director of the Texas Lottery, said in a news release announcing the winning ticket.
Texas is one of 17 states that allows national lottery winners to remain anonymous. The list of states includes Illinois, where a Mega Millions winner took advantage of the state's anonymity laws earlier this year.
Here's what else to know.
Feeling Lucky? Explore the Latest Lottery News & Results
Where Mega Millions winners can remain anonymous
- Arizona: Prize must be over $100,000
- Arkansas: Prize must be over $500,000 and a winner is only anonymous for three years
- Delaware: Any prize
- Georgia: Prize must be over $250,000
- Illinois: Prize must be over $250,000
- Kansas: Any prize
- Maryland: Any prize
- Michigan: Prize must be over $10,000 in state-run games only
- Minnesota: Prize must be over $10,000
- Mississippi: Any prize
- Missouri: Any prize
- Montana: Any prize
- New Jersey: Any prize
- North Dakota: Any prize
- South Carolina: Any prize
- Texas: Prize must be over $1 million
- Virginia: Prize must be greater than $10 million
- West Virginia: Prize must be over $1 million
- Wyoming: Any prize
What is the largest Mega Millions jackpot ever?
The jackpot won Tuesday night was not one of the top five largest prizes of all time. The top five are:
- $1.602 billion from one winning ticket in Florida in August 2023
- $1.537 billion from one winning ticket in October 2018 in South Carolina
- $1.35 billion from one winning ticket in January 2023 in Maine
- $1.34 billion from one winning ticket in July 2022 in Illinois
- $1.12 billion from one winning ticket in March 2024 in New Jersey
What are the odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot?
The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are long. Players have a one in 302,575,350 shot at winning the grand prize, a one in 12,607,306 shot at winning the $1 million prize and a one in 24 chance of winning any prize.
How to play Mega Millions
Tickets to Mega Millions cost $2 per play.
There are nine total ways to win a prize, from the jackpot to $2.
To play, pick five numbers from 1 to 70 and one Mega Ball number from 1 to 25. You can choose Easy Pick or Quick Pick to have the terminal randomly pick numbers for you. You win the jackpot by matching all six winning numbers in the drawing.
What is the Megaplier?
Most states offer the Megaplier feature, which increases non-jackpot prizes by two, three, four and five times.
It costs an additional $1 per play. Before each regular Mega Millions drawing, the Megaplier is drawn. From a pool of 15 balls, five are marked with "2X," three with "4X" and one with "5X."
Where can you buy lottery tickets?
Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.
You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Texas, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.
Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. Must be 18+, 21+ in AZ and 19+ in NE. Not affiliated with any State Lottery. Gambling Problem? Call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY); 1-800-327-5050 (MA); 1-877-MYLIMIT (OR); 1-800-GAMBLER (all others). Visit jackpocket.com/tos for full terms and conditions.
veryGood! (1)
Related
- Tree trimmer dead after getting caught in wood chipper at Florida town hall
- Only one in world: Rare giraffe without spots born in Tennessee zoo, now it needs a name
- Stock market today: Asian stocks mixed as traders await Fed conference for interest rate update
- As rents and evictions rise across the country, more cities and states debate rent control
- Bodycam footage shows high
- As rents and evictions rise across the country, more cities and states debate rent control
- This is Us cast, Hollywood stars remember Ron Cephas Jones
- Why Bradley Cooper Feels Very Lucky Amid 19-Year Journey With Sobriety
- How to watch the 'Blue Bloods' Season 14 finale: Final episode premiere date, cast
- Mother recounts desperate effort to save son killed in Maui fires before 15th birthday: Threw myself on the floor
Ranking
- Apple iOS 18.2: What to know about top features, including Genmoji, AI updates
- Bazooka made a mint blowing bubbles. Now it's being snapped up for $700 million.
- Nissan recalls 236,000 Sentras for problem that could cause loss of steering control
- For one Texas doctor, abortion bans are personal and professional
- Appeals court scraps Nasdaq boardroom diversity rules in latest DEI setback
- Ford, Kia, Nissan, Chrysler among nearly 660,000 vehicles recalled: Check car recalls here
- Whose seat is the hottest? Assessing the college football coaches most likely to be fired
- Ex-wife charged with murder in ambush-style killing of Microsoft executive Jared Bridegan, may face death penalty
Recommendation
Brianna LaPaglia Reveals The Meaning Behind Her "Chickenfry" Nickname
Spanish Soccer Federation President Apologizes for Kissing Jenni Hermoso on Lips After World Cup Win
Here's how wildfire burn scars could intensify flooding as Tropical Storm Hilary hits California
From MLK to today, the March on Washington highlights the evolution of activism by Black churches
Meet the volunteers risking their lives to deliver Christmas gifts to children in Haiti
Lightning starts new wildfires but moist air aids crews battling blazes in rural Northern California
Worker gets almost 3 years in prison for stealing $1M from employer
Only one new car in the U.S. now sells for under $20,000