$1.15 billion Mega Millions Jackpot on Friday

Friday sees the largest Mega Millions jackpot of the year up for grabs. Players from around the world will be trying to win the estimated $1.15 billion jackpot. Even the cash option is $516 million.

It’s not been the easiest of years to win a Mega Millions jackpot. Only three times this year has the top prize in this American lottery been won. That’s compared to 2023 when there were four jackpot wins in January and ten in total.

Just two Mega Millions draws remain this year. Will a ticket purchased from Lottery24 produce a billion dollar plus win?

Lucky date?

13 years ago, there was a Mega Millions jackpot win on December 27. That saw $208 million won by a ticket that had been sold in Middle Island, New York. The lucky winner was Daniel Brucker but he came from California not New York.

The top prize has only been won seven times in December. Most recently, a $394 million jackpot was won by two tickets sold in California last year. That  has proved to be a very controversial Mega Millions win  with court action now being taken.

The last Mega Millions jackpot win was on September 10 when a ticket sold in Texas won $810 million. Each of the three times the top prize has been won in 2024 has seen over $500 million won.

Winnings finally claimed

The first jackpot win of the year was in March when a ticket purchased in New Jersey won $1.13 billion. This week has seen the winner of that prize finally come forward to claim their winnings.

The winner has accepted their windfall as a cash amount  which will be $280 million after the payment of state and federal taxes. State tax in New Jersey is set at 10.7% on lottery winnings, one of the highest rates in the US.

Who the winner is may never be known. Since 2020 winners in New Jersey have been able to remain anonymous and that’s just what has happened with this success.

Buy tickets today from Lottery24.