$1.13 billion Mega Millions New Jersey lottery winner starts process of claiming prize, officials say
NEPTUNE, N.J. - The sole winner of a $1.13 billion Mega Millions jackpot has submitted the winning ticket and begun the process of collecting the prize, New Jersey Lottery officials said Monday.
The winning ticket was sold at a ShopRite on Route 66 in Neptune back in March.
It was the fifth largest Mega Millions jackpot ever, and the eighth largest in U.S. lottery history. The winning numbers were 7, 11, 22, 29, 38 and Mega Ball 4. The odds of hitting the Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350. The winning ticket in this case was not a quick pick, but chosen numbers.
The winner is taking the lump sum payment. Only people who take the annual installments receive the full prize. The estimated lump sum prize of the $1.13 billion jackpot is approximately $537 million, before taxes.
Previously, lottery winners had to come forward publicly to receive their winning checks. That changed in 2020 in New Jersey after Gov. Phil Murphy signed a bill into law allowing lottery winners to remain anonymous.
As for the store that sold the winning ticket, it received a $30,000 check. ShopRite's CEO said the money would be donated to a local food back serving Monmouth and Ocean Counties.
The largest U.S. lottery prize ever was a $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot won in 2023.