Who is the mystery Michigan winner of $1 billion cash? Inside the second-largest jackpot in Mega Millions history
The Mega Millions jackpot cash winners’ list was announced on January 23, 2021, and it took every by surprise. If reports are to be believed, a person in Michigan won the jackpot, estimated at $1 billion or $739.6 million after taxes. This month’s Mega Million lottery’s winning numbers were 4-26-42-50-60 with a Mega Ball number of 24. The odds of coming to this number were one in 302.5 million.
This win still remains the second-largest jackpot in Mega Millions history and the third-largest in the United States lottery history. This is the 18th Mega Millions jackpot in Michigan. The last winner from Michigan shared the prize with a Rhode Island winner in October 2017.
As per the press release, “After a record run of 37 draws, the second-largest jackpot in the history of Mega Millions was won Friday night! The estimated jackpot of $1.0 billion ($739.6 million cash) goes to a lucky ticket holder in Michigan. That was the only ticket to match all six numbers drawn January 22.”
The press release added that a total of ten tickets matched the five white balls to win the game’s second prize, two of which are worth $2 million each. The other eight are worth $1 million — two in Florida and New York, and one in Missouri, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Maryland.
As of now, the Mega Millions jackpot winner’s identity remains a mystery. The jackpot has not reset to its current starting value of $20 million, and the next drawing is scheduled to be on Tuesday, January 26, 2021.
Reportedly, after the announcement, there was a new millionaire in New Jersey for the holder of a second-prize ticket worth $1 million. Reportedly, the New Jersey $1 million Mega Millions winner was among 10 second-prize tickets sold nationally. The winning numbers were: 4, 26, 42, 50 and 60. The Mega Ball drawn was 24 with a Megaplier of 2X.
What was the largest Mega Millions jackpot?
The Big Game, commonly known as Mega Millions, is offered in 45 states, the District of Columbia, and the US Virgin Islands. It was created and designed by Michigan Lottery Commissioner Bill Martin and Illinois Lottery Director Desiree Rogers in August 1996. The games began in January 1999 where jackpot winners were given the option to receive their cash prize.
The first Mega Millions drawing was held on May 17, 2002. The current Mega Millions gaming format came into action in October 2017, where plays are only $2 per game, and its multiples non-jackpot prizes if the player pays an extra $1 per play.
The jackpot figures to the entire money if a winner opts to be paid in 30 annual installments. Most winners, however, opt for a cash prize. As per the current records, the largest Mega Millions jackpot of $1.537 billion was won on October 23, 2018, by one ticket sold in South Carolina. The award was claimed one year later, where the winner chose to remain anonymous till the date of this writing. This Mega Millions jackpot came pretty close to Powerball’s $1.586 billion jackpot, which was won in 2016 by multiple tickets.
Effect of Covid-19
The ongoing pandemic has put all the major businesses to revise their business policies. Sales of Mega Millions and Powerball continued to decline after the Covid-19 affected the economics. In April 2020, the Mega Millions starting jackpot amount was temporarily reset to $20 million with the annuity option due to the pandemic.
However, the scratch tickets rebounded later in the year when the government officials gave some relief after the nationwide lockdown.