Current:Home > StocksWho won the $810 million Mega Millions jackpot in Texas? We may never know. -VitalWealth Strategies
Who won the $810 million Mega Millions jackpot in Texas? We may never know.
View
Date:2025-04-21 13:14:59
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! (3162)
Related
- 'Survivor' 47 finale, part one recap: 2 players were sent home. Who's left in the game?
- 'I did it. I killed her.' Man charged with strangling wife in hospital bed over medical bills
- You Probably Missed Sabrina Carpenter and Barry Keoghan's Sneaky Red Carpet Debut at 2024 Met Gala
- Mindy Kaling's 2024 Met Gala Appearance May Be Her Most Fabulous Yet
- FACT FOCUS: Inspector general’s Jan. 6 report misrepresented as proof of FBI setup
- Amazon driver shot, killed alleged 17-year-old carjacker in Cleveland, reports say
- Demi Lovato marks Met Gala return in Prabal Gurung gown with 500 hand-cut flowers
- Usher Reveals Why He Didn’t Perform at 2024 Met Gala
- Selena Gomez engaged to Benny Blanco after 1 year together: 'Forever begins now'
- WWE King and Queen of the Ring 2024 bracket: Schedule, results of tournament
Ranking
- Could your smelly farts help science?
- Amazon driver shot, killed alleged 17-year-old carjacker in Cleveland, reports say
- Boeing calls off its first astronaut launch because of valve issue on rocket
- Gabrielle Union and Dwyane Wade's 2024 Met Gala Date Night Was a Total Slam Dunk
- Selena Gomez's "Weird Uncles" Steve Martin and Martin Short React to Her Engagement
- From the Steps to the Streets, Here’s How To Wear This Year’s Garden of Time Theme IRL
- Are you turning 65 between 2024 and 2030 and not financially prepared for retirement? Do this.
- Teyana Taylor’s Ex Iman Shumpert Reacts to Her Met Gala 2024 Transformation
Recommendation
All That You Wanted to Know About She’s All That
Donald Trump calls Joe Biden weak on antisemitism, ignoring his own rhetoric
Exclusive records show Nevada athletics ran afoul of Title IX. Its leaders shrugged.
Apple’s biggest announcements from its iPad event: brighter screen, faster chips and the Pencil Pro
McConnell absent from Senate on Thursday as he recovers from fall in Capitol
Angel Reese celebrates her 22nd birthday by attending the Met Gala
At least 14 killed after flood and landslide hit Indonesia's Sulawesi island
Amazon driver shot, killed alleged 17-year-old carjacker in Cleveland, reports say