Georgia Player Wins $980 Million Mega Millions Jackpot

The winning numbers were 1, 8, 11, 12 and 57, with a Mega Ball of 7. On an incredible night for ticket holders across the U.S., more than 1.1 million prizes were paid out altogether. Go to the Mega Millions Numbers page for full draw details. You can even view breakdowns of how many winners there were for each state.

The top prize had previously not been won June 27th, when a Virginian pocketed $348 million. It reset at $50 million for the next draw, and has climbed steadily over the past four and a half months.

Friday’s drawing was the 40th of the current jackpot run, and it turned out to be a momentous one for Georgia as the state celebrated its biggest-ever win. It also marked Georgia’s 17th jackpot win since joining Mega Millions in 1996.

What Next for the Winner?

If you win a prize of any value, the next step is to claim your prize. It’s therefore vital to check your tickets and keep them safe until you are ready to come forward. If you’ve played online or via a lottery courier, you’ll be notified automatically about any wins.

For the jackpot winner, they have a window of 180 days from the draw date to contact their state lottery and kick off the claims process. They may decide to seek some preliminary financial advice or take some time to gather their thoughts before they do so.

Another big decision is whether to take the advertised $980 million as an annuity or to go for the cash option of $452.2 million. Regardless of which option they choose, taxes will also be withheld.

Big winners in Georgia are allowed to stay anonymous, so it may be that no more information ever gets disclosed about their identity.

Once they have their money, they can start to enjoy their winnings. It may be that a new home, new car or travel plans are high on the wish list.

Biggest Wins in History

The latest win ranks eighth in the table of the biggest Mega Millions jackpots of all time, behind the seven occasions when the top prize has gone beyond $1 billion.

A Florida player, who claimed through the Saltines Holdings, LLC, remains the record holder thanks to their $1.602 billion payout in August 2023. Previously, an anonymous ticket holder from South Carolina had held the top spot for almost five years, after banking $1.537 billion in October 2018.

Changes made to Mega Millions in April were always likely to produce more big jackpots, so it might not be too long before another 10-figure payout beckons. Keep an eye out for the latest results every Tuesday and Friday night, and make sure to take part in the next draw.