The $ 1 billion Mega Millions jackpot has a winner

There is winning and then there is big winning. A lucky Michigan lottery player won big Friday night – $ 1 billion.

Friday’s Mega Millions jackpot was one of the most valuable lottery jackpots of all time, according to the organizers.

One ticket matched the six numbers – 4, 26, 42, 50, 60 and 24 – needed to win the estimated prize of $ 1 billion, according to Mega Millions. The winner who has not yet been identified can choose between long-term payments or a lump sum payment of $ 739.6 million before taxes.

The odds of winning were 1 in 302,575,350.

This is the third biggest jackpot in the lottery since 2016. The record $ 1.586 billion Powerball jackpot went to three people from Tennessee, Florida and California who each won the winning numbers in 2016. The biggest winner in the lottery was Single jackpot hit Mega Millions for $ 1.537 billion at the end of 2018.

The Mega Millions jackpot has increased in value since September, when it was reset to $ 20 million after winning $ 120 million. It was the longest winless streak in the game’s history, Mega Millions officials said in a statement.

The jackpot wins have been slow in part because fewer people gambled during the pandemic. Mega Millions is available in 45 states, the District of Columbia, and the US Virgin Islands.

On Wednesday, a single ticket sold at a convenience store in Lonaconing, Maryland, won all six numbers of the Powerball jackpot. This payout is worth $ 716.3 paid over 30 years or a cash prize of $ 546.8 million.