A ticket bought at Circle K in Cottonwood, California, has made Mega Millions jackpot history on the cusp of the new year. The sole ticket matched all five numbers from the drawing on Friday, December 27, to win an annuitized jackpot prize of $1.269 billion, making it the ninth-highest jackpot win in U.S. history. The currently anonymous ticket holder is now the fifth-best Mega Millions prize winner since the game's inception. The winning numbers drawn were 3, 7, 37, 49, 55, and the gold Mega Ball 6, ending a three-month drought without any grand prize winner.
“Congratulations to our $1.269 billion jackpot winner from California. What an amazing present this holiday season. At such a special time of year, this is both an incredible moment for our winner and for the organizations and causes benefiting from lottery ticket sales across the country,” said Joshua Johnston, lead director for the Mega Millions Consortium.
The winning ticket was sold at Sunshine Food and Gas, also referred to as Circle K, located off Interstate 5 and approximately 145 miles north of Sacramento. It is noteworthy to mention this marks the first time a California resident has won a Mega Millions jackpot exceeding $1 billion. Jaspal Singh, the owner of Circle K, expressed immense excitement over the store's lucky sale. Singh and his family, who have operated the store for over two decades, had just reopened the store earlier this year after it was severely damaged by fire.
“California, we’ve done it again! One lucky ticket sold at Circle K Stores on Rhonda Rd. in Cottonwood was the sole ticket across the nation to match all six numbers in tonight’s Mega Millions drawing!” the California Lottery proudly announced via social media. Lottery retailers typically receive half of 1% of the total jackpot prize, up to $1 million, which means Singh's store will also gain $1 million for selling the ticket.
According to California law, lottery jackpot winners cannot remain anonymous. The winner is required to come forward within one year of the drawing to claim their prize, which can be received either as a one-time lump sum payment of $571.9 million or as the total annuitized sum of $1.269 billion spread over 30 years. The lump sum offered, which is calculated before federal taxes, will subject the winner to significant tax withholdings, potentially reducing the prize to around $360 million.
The current jackpot's odds stood at 1 in 302,575,350, highlighting the remarkable nature of this win. Interestingly, lottery mechanics are slated to change by 2025 with ticket prices set to increase from $2 to $5, leading many hopeful players to expect life-changing rewards under the new system.
Despite the excitement surrounding the record-breaking win, the winner’s identity remains undisclosed, and experts predict it could take months before anyone knows who won. The California Lottery has explained the procedures surrounding claiming the prize. Once the winner presents the ticket, they must submit it along with a valid claim form either at one of the California Lottery's offices or via certified mail. The identity of the holder of the winning ticket remains unknown until the claim is processed.
Once claims are submitted, the verification process involves thorough checks, including interviews conducted by law enforcement officers who will inquire about the ticket's purchase. This verification process may last several weeks or even months, according to the California Lottery spokesperson.
“The verification process could take weeks or even months,” the spokesperson remarked, signaling the complexity involved behind such sizable lottery claims. Once everything is verified to satisfaction, the prize will be transferred to the California State Controller’s Office for payout.
Residents of Cottonwood, home to only 6,000 people, are anxiously awaiting the identity of the mystery winner. Until the ticket is claimed, no information can be shared publicly, but the anticipation around who the new millionaire might be keeps the local community buzzing.
The excitement generated from this jackpot roll has also yielded benefits for California’s public education system. This single Mega Millions drawing generated $89.5 million for educational causes thanks to ticket sales, illustrating how such lottery games play a significant role not only for individual winners but also for community growth.
With the ticket still unclaimed and the verification process far from straightforward, Cottonwood’s chance at fostering up-close and personal connections with potential millionaires continues. The step toward modernizing ticket pricing could bring about even larger jackpots, leaving communities hopeful and ready for another round of lottery luck. Meanwhile, Sunshine Food and Gas will see $1 million bonuses for selling the winning ticket. While anticipation grows for the mystery of the winner, it’s clear the jackpot's impact will be felt well beyond just one individual, heralding a new chapter for lottery aspirations moving forward.