Winning ticket purchased online
By Todd Northrop
After a run of 19 drawings without a jackpot winner, the 20th drawing of the multi-state Mega Millions lottery game produced a single $560 million winner last night when one ticket sold in Illinois matched all five numbers plus the Mega Ball.
The winner will now have to choose between being paid $560 million in 30 annually-increasing payments over 29 years or the lump-sum estimated cash value of $264 million.
According to USA Mega's Mega Millions Jackpot Analysis, after all federal and Illinois state taxes are paid, the winner either will receive $326.3 million by the end of 29 years, or $153.3 million in cash all at once. Illinois has a 4.95% state tax rate.
The massive Mega Millions haul is the 25th-largest lottery jackpot of all time in the United States, and the 41st-largest cash value ever awarded. (See full top-25 list below.) It is also the 9th-largest jackpot won in Mega Millions history.
According to officials, the ticket was purchased online through the Illinois Lottery — the first time in history a Mega Millions jackpot was won through an online purchase.
Because Illinois allows lottery winners to claim jackpots anonymously, we may never learn the identity of the claimant.
Lottery Post maintains a list of every state's anonymity policies for lottery winners, and Lottery Post published a comprehensive video presentation about each state's anonymity laws.
The Mega Millions winning numbers for Tuesday, June 4, 2024, were 19, 37, 40, 63, and 69, with Mega Ball number 17. The Megaplier was 3.
Fortunately, even if you didn't win the jackpot, the Mega Millions game still offers another 8 ways to win lower-tier prizes. One player from Maryland won a second prize of $1 million by matching the first five numbers minus the Mega Ball, and another player from California won $285,828 for accomplishing the same feat.
27 tickets matched four white numbers plus the Mega Ball and won $10,000. Of those tickets, 4 were purchased with the Megaplier option, increasing the prize to $30,000 and 8 of the tickets were purchased in California with a prize amount of $4,950 each.
In total, 944,853 tickets won prizes across the game's nine prize tiers in Tuesday's drawing.
A complete list of payouts for all prizes and the official drawing video can be found at USA Mega's Mega Millions Drawing Information page, as well as at Lottery Post's Mega Millions Prize Payouts page.
The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 302.6 million.
With the jackpot being won Tuesday, the next Mega Millions annuity jackpot estimate for the drawing on Friday, June 7 is reset to its starting point of $20 million.
Mega Millions is currently offered for sale in 45 states, plus Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are Tuesdays and Fridays at 11:00 pm Eastern Time. Tickets cost $2 each.
The Mega Millions winning numbers are published at USA Mega (www.usamega.com) minutes after the drawing takes place.
Top 25 United States lottery jackpots of all time
The following list shows the top 25 United States lottery jackpots of all time. The $560 million Mega Millions jackpot won last night ranks as the 25th-largest United States lottery jackpot in history.
- Powerball: $2.0401 billion, Nov. 7, 2022 (40 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - California
- Powerball: $1.7649 billion, Oct. 11, 2023 (35 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - California
- Mega Millions: $1.602 billion, Aug. 8, 2023 (31 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Florida
- Powerball: $1.5864 billion, Jan. 13, 2016 (19 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - California, Florida, Tennessee
- Mega Millions: $1.537 billion, Oct. 23, 2018 (25 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - South Carolina
- Mega Millions: $1.348 billion, Jan. 13, 2023 (25 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Maine
- Mega Millions: $1.337 billion, Jul. 29, 2022 (29 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Illinois
- Powerball: $1.3259 billion, Apr. 6, 2024 (40 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Oregon
- Mega Millions: $1.128 billion, Mar. 26, 2024 (30 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - New Jersey
- Powerball: $1.0798 billion, Jul. 19, 2023 (38 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - California
- Mega Millions: $1.05 billion, Jan. 22, 2021 (36 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Michigan
- Powerball: $842.4 million, Jan. 1, 2024 (34 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Michigan
- Powerball: $768.4 million, Mar. 27, 2019 (25 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Wisconsin
- Powerball: $758.7 million, Aug. 23, 2017 (20 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Massachusetts
- Powerball: $754.6 million, Feb. 6, 2023 (33 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Washington
- Powerball: $731.1 million, Jan. 20, 2021 (35 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Maryland
- Powerball: $699.8 million, Oct. 4, 2021 (40 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - California
- Powerball: $687.8 million, Oct. 27, 2018 (21 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Iowa, New York
- Mega Millions: $656 million, Mar. 30, 2012 (18 rollovers, starting at $12 million) - Illinois, Kansas, Maryland
- Mega Millions: $648 million, Dec. 17, 2013 (21 rollovers, starting at $12 million) - California, Georgia
- Powerball: $632.6 million, Jan 5, 2022 (39 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - California, Wisconsin
- Powerball: $590.5 million, May 18, 2013 (13 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Florida
- Powerball: $587.5 million, Nov. 28, 2012 (15 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Arizona, Missouri
- Powerball: $564.1 million, Feb. 11, 2015 (20 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Texas
- Mega Millions: $560 million, Jun. 4, 2024 (19 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Illinois
For those keeping score, the number of jackpots in the top 25, by lottery game, are:
- Powerball: 16
- Mega Millions: 9
Top 25 cash value jackpots
Since many lottery winners collect their winnings in cash, the lump-sum payout is an important measure of what a winning ticket could be worth.
The Mega Millions jackpot won last night ranks as the 41st-largest cash value of all time (not shown in top 25 list below).
- Powerball: $997.6 million cash, Nov. 7, 2022 ($2.0401 billion annuity) - California
- Powerball: $983.5 million cash, Jan. 13, 2016 ($1.5864 billion annuity) - California, Florida, Tennessee
- Mega Millions: $877.8 million cash, Oct. 23, 2018 ($1.537 billion annuity) - South Carolina
- Mega Millions: $794.2 million cash, Aug. 8, 2023 ($1.602 billion annuity) - Florida
- Mega Millions: $780.5 million cash, Jul. 29, 2022 ($1.337 billion annuity) - Illinois
- Mega Millions: $776.6 million cash, Jan. 22, 2021 ($1.05 billion annuity) - Michigan
- Powerball: $774.1 million cash, Oct. 11, 2023 ($1.7649 billion annuity) - California
- Mega Millions: $723.5 million cash, Jan. 13, 2023 ($1.348 billion annuity) - Maine
- Powerball: $621 million cash, Apr. 6, 2024 ($1.3259 billion annuity) - Oregon
- Powerball: $558.1 million cash, Jul. 19, 2023 ($1.0798 billion annuity) - California
- Powerball: $546.8 million cash, Jan. 20, 2021 ($731.1 million annuity) - Maryland
- Mega Millions: $536.6 million cash, Mar. 26, 2024 ($1.128 billion annuity) - New Jersey
- Powerball: $496 million cash, Oct. 4, 2021 ($699.8 million annuity) - California
- Powerball: $480.5 million cash, Aug. 23, 2017 ($758.7 million annuity) - Massachusetts
- Powerball: $477 million cash, Mar. 27, 2019 ($768.4 million annuity) - Wisconsin
- Mega Millions: $471 million cash, Mar. 30, 2012 ($656 million annuity) - Illinois, Kansas, Maryland
- Powerball: $450.2 million cash, Jan. 5, 2022 ($632.6 million annuity) - California, Wisconsin
- Powerball: $425.2 million cash, Jan. 1, 2024 ($842.4 million annuity) - Michigan
- Powerball: $407.2 million cash, Feb. 6, 2023 ($754.6 million annuity) - Washington
- Powerball: $396.2 million cash, Oct. 27, 2018 ($687.8 million annuity) - Iowa, New York
- Powerball: $384.7 million cash, Nov. 28, 2012 ($587.5 million annuity) - Arizona, Missouri
- Powerball: $381.1 million cash, Feb. 11, 2015 ($564.1 million annuity) - North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Texas
- Mega Millions: $378 million cash, Jul. 8, 2016 ($536 million annuity) - Indiana
- Powerball: $370.9 million cash, May 18, 2013 ($590.5 million annuity) - Florida
- Powerball: $352 million cash, Jan. 6, 2018 ($559.7 million annuity) - New Hampshire
The number of cash value jackpots in the top 25, by lottery game, are:
- Powerball: 17
- Mega Millions: 8
Was this an online win? I saw an article mentioning the ticket was bought online.
After you read the article above you will have the answer.
Congrats to the lucky winner(s). Enjoy your newly acquired wealth for many generations.
Wonder if that lucky person will get an email telling them to contact the Illinois lottery? That's an email this once in a while on line player would love to receive.
Thanks for putting the paltry sum one California player gets for five #'s...though sometimes it can get up there.
with a credit card online?
* Californian winning $280K, 2nd prize off a $560mil jackpot is insanity. Something needs to be done with that 2nd prize pay structure.
There was a convenience store that just opened near me, and they were getting their lottery terminal installed, the technician was saying that not all terminals will produce a jackpot winner, and when you hear the ticket being printed, it's an pre-recorded sound to gather attention in the musical tone of C. If you hear the terminal printing the tickets, don't buy them there. Thermal printers are silent.
Yes, and if its the same setup as Michigan, which I'm sure it is, they already know who the winner is.
On to Powerball.....lol.
all fixed like the person say second prize winner too all that money for one person too
Congratulations to the winner! I hope they enjoy their winnings and have a happy life.
Congrats!
*grabs glasses 👓 🤓
Congrats to the winner
Wow, that must have felt so good.
Keeping hope alive and buying my one ticket with the multiplier - who knows 💪
"or the lump-sum estimated cash value of $264 million "
Based on reported sales that seems unlikely to be an accurate estimate. The first worksheet on the TX lottery website reported sales of $43 million and a cash value increase of $17.6 million to $258.4 million. The next worksheet forecast sales about 7% higher, which would fund an increase of $18.8 million, to $259.6. The website that can't be named reports sales of $46.44 million which would make it $259.8 million. This was yet another jackpot where the interest rates went down but the estimated cash value magically increased exactly enough to let them continue to advertise an annuity of $560 million.
"Something needs to be done with that 2nd prize pay structure. "
There's nothing wrong with the 2nd prize pay structure if you want the jackpots to be big. Players in CA are free to ask their legislators to change the rules and stop paying on a parimutuel basis. All of the other states seem to manage just fine, and since C A sells more tickets than any other state it's a pretty safe bet that their total prize payout will be very close to statistically normal.
"the technician was saying "
That he doesn't actually have a clue.
Great points taken. Didn't quite understand about different noises that machines make then say that thermal printers are silent. My home state was the last (MA) to get rid of noisy, dot matrix printers. Not sure where the machine that printed that $787 or so million dollar ticket from near W. MA went, but she was making tghe rounds years ago.
I agree with you on CA lottery and Todd reminded me of their law for pari-mutuel payouts. Had sent an email vs regular mail months ago asking them to get Double Play. Regular mail years ago, probably 20 now about a suggestion I had for scratch tickets. ICR what I asked for but they liked the idea. Here came a 9 page legal document thing basically saying I would not seek monetary compensation for the idea, signed it and sent it back.
Speaking of legal things, the drug maker for a drug that rids the body of Covid-19 didn't like what I wrote on FB and even had my quote of 'tastes like a metal pipe' (it does, had to take it). So another 9 page legal looking thing came and thought I'd be sued. It sat for weeks, finally signed it and mailed it back. Not a peep since then.
Back to subject was going to play about 16 MM/MP on line and fortunately my inner voice said NO!!
Purchased online. hhhhmmm.
We don't have online purchasing in Louisiana since using credit cards to buy tickets is illegal here.
It's convenient but I wonder how the retailera feel about it.
yes, on the net, awesome seeing those win that way.
IDK what retailers think. Seems about 50/50 in the store, some go to clerk, others lotto machine.
In KY when on line started they were restrictive. You still cannot say play Pick 3 or Pick 4 for both drawings. What is meant by that it has no button for both draws, so you just do it individually. Just a few weeks ago they added Double Play to Powerball for on line.
It saddens me somewhat that big lotto states you can't play on line. Correct me if wrong, I know home state of MA=NO, CA=NO and probably NY too. MA finally allowed folks to check their tickets with their phones, if you call that progress.
Tribal casino lobby in CA spends something like $8 billion a year trying to coax the state legislature to shut down any gambling and gaming activity in CA that isn't a tribal casino. They're the reason why we have pari-mutuel payouts in the first place. Unless someone's got $8 billion and 1 laying around somewhere, it ain't happening.
Very interesting point. So once again the minority rules.
A few years ago had email Arizona lottery and believe had mentioned why not on line playing. Their reply was that the lottery has an agreement with the Tribal folks there and won't happen. They mailed me a nice Arizona lottery fridge magnet!!
Dude what are you babbling about. No one if forcing you to play the lottery. Of course all that money to one person, this is why most of us play in the first place, to GET ALL THAT MONEY for one person. We want all that money for ourselves, family, friends and community. Always someone complaining about all that money to one person...GEEZ!
He's always spouting that nonsense after a big win is announced.
Soreloseritis
coming from a retired Medical person you should say Soreloserosis (condition of)
vs soreloseritis (inflammation of).
Thanks for the morning smile just the same, Artist 77!
"vs soreloseritis (inflammation of). "
You don't think he might be even a little bit inflamed?