The back half of 2022 saw one California Lottery player connect for one of the biggest scores in lottery history. After several weeks of the Mega Millions jackpot building, it’s possible another such win is in the offing.
No ticket had five correct numbers, plus the Mega Ball, on Tuesday, Jan. 10. That jackpot, which had been listed at $1.1 billion, has swelled to $1.35 billion ahead of the next drawing. Should a player opt for the lump sum payout, the winning ticket would be worth $707.9 million.
Friday the 13th is considered a very unlucky day by some. However, that’s the date of the next Mega Millions drawing, which means its reputation could change drastically for a lucky player.
How to buy Mega Millions tickets
If you want to buy a ticket, there’s no shortage of California Lottery retail partners. You can jump in at one of more than 23,000 locations throughout the Golden State.
Players must be 18 or older to purchase a California Lottery ticket. While some states allow online purchases of lottery tickets, those are not available in California. You’ll have to buy your Mega Millions tickets in-person.
Can California take down another jackpot?
Late last year, Powerball’s jackpot grew to more than $2 billion ahead of a drawing on Monday, Nov. 7. On that date, one ticket purchased in Altadena, a Los Angeles suburb, was the only ticket in the country to feature all of the winning numbers.
It was the biggest Powerball and U.S. lottery jackpot in history. This $1.35 billion jackpot, if hit, would qualify for the No. 4 spot on that list.
Two other huge Powerball jackpots were taken down (at least in part) by California players. A California ticket was one of three to connect on a $1.586 billion pot on Jan. 13, 2016, and a single California ticket hit for nearly $700 million on Oct. 4, 2021.
The largest Mega Millions jackpot ever hit by a California ticket came on Dec. 17, 2013. On that date, players from California and Georgia split a $648 million payday.
Second-biggest jackpot in Mega Millions history
According to a Wednesday press release, Friday’s Mega Millions jackpot is the fourth one to swell over $1 billion. No jackpot-winning tickets have been purchased since Oct. 14, 2022.
The biggest Mega Millions jackpot was a $1.537 billion prize in late-2018. The five numbers and Mega Ball were matched on one ticket purchased in South Carolina.
The last $1 billion-plus Mega Millions jackpot came in July of 2022. A $1.337 billion prize was taken down by a single ticket purchased in Illinois.
