Winning ticket for estimated $1.22 billion Mega Millions jackpot sold in California. Here are the numbers.
At least one Mega Millions player will have plenty to ring in the New Year after a winning ticket for the estimated $1.22 billion jackpot was sold in California.
The winning numbers were drawn Friday night for the fifth-largest jackpot in the game's history. The winning numbers were 3, 7, 37, 49, 55, and a Mega Ball of 6.
"What an amazing present this holiday season! At an incredibly special time of year, this is both an incredibly special moment for our winner, and for all the great organizations and causes that benefit from lottery ticket sales around the country," said Joshua Johnston, lead director for the Mega Millions Consortium, according to CBS Sacramento.
The winning ticket in Friday's drawing was sold at a Circle K store in Cottonwood, California. The identity of the winner or winners was not immediately known.
Ahead of Friday night's drawing, there has not been a winner since an $810 million jackpot was won in Texas on Sept. 10.
"Ticket sales are going through the roof," a spokesperson for Mega Millions had told CBS News earlier Friday, adding that once a jackpot hits this level, there is often a corresponding increase in ticket sales.
The cash option for winners that take a lump sum payout was now an estimated $549.7 million — a $33.6 million jump from a few days ago, the spokesperson said. Winners can take the cash payout or the $1.22 billion annuity paid out over 30 years.
Only three Mega Millions jackpots have been won this year — the fewest in any year since the game started. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350.
A Mega Millions spokesperson said winners are possible across all the prize tiers even if there isn't a jackpot winner. On Christmas Eve, four tickets matched the five white balls for the game's second-tier prize. They were sold in California, Missouri, Pennsylvania and Wyoming.
It would be the fifth biggest Mega Millions jackpot ever if someone wins. (All the totals are before taxes are taken out.)
The top Mega Millions jackpots
The biggest Mega Millions jackpot to date was $1.602 billion in August 2023. There was one winning ticket, sold in Florida. Here is a list of the other top jackpot totals, courtesy of Mega Millions:
| Amount | Date | Winning Tickets |
| $1.602 billion | 8/8/2023 | 1-FL |
| $1.537 billion | 10/23/2018 | 1-SC |
| $1.348 billion | 1/13/2023 | 1-ME |
| $1.337 billion | 7/29/2022 | 1-IL |
| $1.22 billion (est.) | 12/27/2024 | ? |
| $1.128 billion | 3/26/2024 | 1-NJ |
| $1.050 billion | 1/22/2021 | 1-MI |
| $810 million | 9/10/2024 | 1-TX |
| $656 million | 3/30/2012 | 3-IL, KS, MD |
| $648 million | 12/17/2013 | 2-CA, GA |
