Current:Home > FinanceWho won the $810 million Mega Millions jackpot in Texas? We may never know. -Visionary Wealth Guides
Who won the $810 million Mega Millions jackpot in Texas? We may never know.
View
Date:2025-04-14 00:01:52
Someone in Texas has won the $810 million Mega Millions game, making them the third Mega Millions jackpot winner of the year. But we may never know who bought the winning ticket in the Houston suburb of Sugar Land and scored a very sweet win.
The winner has the option to claim the prize anonymously because the Lone Star State allows winners of jackpots of over $1 million to keep their identity a secret.
"We are beyond thrilled to celebrate Texas’ largest-ever jackpot winner and can’t wait to meet and congratulatethem in person,” Ryan Mindell, executive director of the Texas Lottery, said in a news release announcing the winning ticket.
Texas is one of 17 states that allows national lottery winners to remain anonymous. The list of states includes Illinois, where a Mega Millions winner took advantage of the state's anonymity laws earlier this year.
Here's what else to know.
Feeling Lucky? Explore the Latest Lottery News & Results
Where Mega Millions winners can remain anonymous
- Arizona: Prize must be over $100,000
- Arkansas: Prize must be over $500,000 and a winner is only anonymous for three years
- Delaware: Any prize
- Georgia: Prize must be over $250,000
- Illinois: Prize must be over $250,000
- Kansas: Any prize
- Maryland: Any prize
- Michigan: Prize must be over $10,000 in state-run games only
- Minnesota: Prize must be over $10,000
- Mississippi: Any prize
- Missouri: Any prize
- Montana: Any prize
- New Jersey: Any prize
- North Dakota: Any prize
- South Carolina: Any prize
- Texas: Prize must be over $1 million
- Virginia: Prize must be greater than $10 million
- West Virginia: Prize must be over $1 million
- Wyoming: Any prize
What is the largest Mega Millions jackpot ever?
The jackpot won Tuesday night was not one of the top five largest prizes of all time. The top five are:
- $1.602 billion from one winning ticket in Florida in August 2023
- $1.537 billion from one winning ticket in October 2018 in South Carolina
- $1.35 billion from one winning ticket in January 2023 in Maine
- $1.34 billion from one winning ticket in July 2022 in Illinois
- $1.12 billion from one winning ticket in March 2024 in New Jersey
What are the odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot?
The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are long. Players have a one in 302,575,350 shot at winning the grand prize, a one in 12,607,306 shot at winning the $1 million prize and a one in 24 chance of winning any prize.
How to play Mega Millions
Tickets to Mega Millions cost $2 per play.
There are nine total ways to win a prize, from the jackpot to $2.
To play, pick five numbers from 1 to 70 and one Mega Ball number from 1 to 25. You can choose Easy Pick or Quick Pick to have the terminal randomly pick numbers for you. You win the jackpot by matching all six winning numbers in the drawing.
What is the Megaplier?
Most states offer the Megaplier feature, which increases non-jackpot prizes by two, three, four and five times.
It costs an additional $1 per play. Before each regular Mega Millions drawing, the Megaplier is drawn. From a pool of 15 balls, five are marked with "2X," three with "4X" and one with "5X."
Where can you buy lottery tickets?
Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.
You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Texas, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.
Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. Must be 18+, 21+ in AZ and 19+ in NE. Not affiliated with any State Lottery. Gambling Problem? Call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY); 1-800-327-5050 (MA); 1-877-MYLIMIT (OR); 1-800-GAMBLER (all others). Visit jackpocket.com/tos for full terms and conditions.
veryGood! (9)
Related
- This was the average Social Security benefit in 2004, and here's what it is now
- Doctors could revive bid to block Arizona ban on abortions performed due to genetic abnormality
- A UN envoy says the Israel-Hamas war is spilling into Syria, which already has growing instability
- NFL Week 8 winners, losers: Gruesome game for stumbling Giants
- Buckingham Palace staff under investigation for 'bar brawl'
- Magic Johnson becomes the 4th athlete billionaire, according to Forbes
- Worldwide, women cook twice as much as men: One country bucks the trend
- Charlie Puth's tribute to Matthew Perry with 'Friends' theme song moves fans: Watch here
- Head of the Federal Aviation Administration to resign, allowing Trump to pick his successor
- The new list of best-selling 'Shark Tank' products of all time
Ranking
- Trump wants to turn the clock on daylight saving time
- What Trump can say and can’t say under a gag order in his federal 2020 election interference case
- Cutting-edge AI raises fears about risks to humanity. Are tech and political leaders doing enough?
- Paris police open fire on a woman who allegedly made threats in the latest security incident
- Why members of two of EPA's influential science advisory committees were let go
- Halloween weekend shootings across US leave at least 11 dead, scores injured
- Kansas can’t enforce new law on abortion pills or make patients wait 24 hours, judge rules
- On her 18th birthday, Spain’s Princess Leonor takes another step towards eventually becoming queen
Recommendation
Head of the Federal Aviation Administration to resign, allowing Trump to pick his successor
Black community says highway project caused major flooding, threatening their homes
Alabama man charged with threatening Fulton County DA Fani Willis over Trump case
Ex-military couple hit with longer prison time in 4th sentencing in child abuse case
Apple iOS 18.2: What to know about top features, including Genmoji, AI updates
NFL trade grades: Breaking down Leonard Williams deal and others through 2023 deadline
Lionel Messi, with 8th win, becomes first MLS player to earn soccer's Ballon d'Or award
ACC releases college football schedules for 2024-30 with additions of Stanford, Cal, SMU