Texas lucky! $800 million Mega Millions jackpot hit

A lucky Texas resident is now the holder of the seventh-largest Mega Millions jackpot in history, worth an estimated $800 million. 

The winning ticket was purchased at Murphy Express 8848 in Sugar Land, Texas, on September 10.

The jackpot-winning Quick Pick ticket matched all six numbers drawn: 1-2-16-24-66, Mega Ball 6. The winner chose the cash value option at the time of purchase, which was estimated at $404.2 million before taxes.

This marks the largest lottery jackpot prize ever won by a Texas Lottery player. The previous record was held by The Blue Yucca Trust, which won an estimated $360 million in October 2023.

Ryan Mindell, Executive Director of the Texas Lottery, said, "We are beyond thrilled to celebrate Texas' largest-ever jackpot winner and can't wait to meet and congratulate them in person.”

Then, he offered this advice to the winner:

If you're the lucky holder of the winning ticket, be sure to sign it, secure it in a safe place, consult financial and legal advisors, and then contact the Texas Lottery before making your way to Austin to claim the prize.

The winning Mega Millions jackpot started as a $20 million prize on June 7 and rolled 27 times before being hit. The next Mega Millions jackpot resets to $20 million.

In addition to the jackpot-winning prize, 175,127 Mega Millions tickets in Texas won lower-tier prizes ranging from $2 to $40,000.

This is the 15th Mega Millions jackpot winner in Texas since the state joined the game in 2003.

Who's the lucky winner? We'll have to wait and see. The winner has 180 days from the draw date to claim the prize.

How to play Mega Millions

Want to be part of the fun? To play, you purchase a ticket for $2 and select five numbers from 1 to 70 and one Mega Ball number from 1 to 25. You can also choose the "Quick Pick" option to have the computer randomly select your numbers.

For an extra $1 per play, you can add the Megaplier option to your ticket. If you win a non-jackpot prize, the Megaplier can multiply your winnings by 2, 3, 4, or 5 times.

To win the jackpot, you must match all six numbers drawn correctly. If no one wins the jackpot, it rolls over to the next drawing, increasing the potential prize. In addition to the jackpot, there are several other prize levels in Mega Millions, ranging from matching all five numbers but not the Mega Ball to matching only the Mega Ball.

Mega Millions drawings are held every Tuesday and Friday night at 11:00 PM ET. You can watch the drawings on participating television stations or online.

After the drawing, check your ticket to see if you've won. If you believe you may have a winning ticket, sign the back immediately and contact your state lottery.

Enjoy Mega Millions, and please play responsibly.