Mega Millions drawing 8/8/23: $1.58B jackpot won by ticket holder in Florida
Watch the Mega Millions drawing Tuesdays and Fridays at 10:59 p.m. on ABC7NY
NEW YORK (WABC) -- A lucky Mega Millions player in Florida holds the winning ticket that matched all six numbers in Tuesday night's drawing, ending a stretch of lottery futility that had stretched for nearly four months.
A Publix grocery store in Neptune Beach sold the winning ticket, according to the Florida Lottery.
Tuesday's winning numbers were: 32, 19, 13, 33, 20, with a Mega Ball of 14.
The $1.58 billion prize is the largest Mega Millions jackpot in the game's history.
Before the big win, there had been 31 straight drawings since the last time someone won the game's jackpot on April 18. That enabled the prize to steadily grow to be the third-largest ever in U.S. history.
The $1.58 billion payout would go to the winner if they opt for an annuity, doled out over 30 years. But people usually prefer a lump sum option, which for Tuesday's jackpot was an estimated $783.3 million.
The prize money is subject to federal taxes. Many states also tax lottery winnings.
The jackpot was so hard to win because of the 1-in-302.6 million odds of matching the numbers on five white balls and a separate mega ball. The odds were better to win smaller prizes, which start at $2.
The August 8 drawing produced far more than a jackpot win, with 7,056,452 winning tickets at all other prize levels. Seven tickets matched the five white balls to win the game's second-tier prize. Two, sold in Florida and North Carolina, are worth $2 million each, because they included the optional Megaplier (available in most states with an extra $1 purchase), which was 2X on Tuesday night. The other five Match 5 tickets win the standard second-tier prize; they were sold in California, Pennsylvania, Texas (two) and West Virginia.
FUN FACT: Where have the most winning Mega Millions jackpot tickets been sold?
New York - 44
California - 36
New Jersey - 25
Ohio - 20
Michigan - 18
Georgia - 15
Illinois - 13
Texas - 13
Connecticut - 0
You can watch the Mega Millions drawings on abc7NY.com/lottery on Tuesday and Friday nights at 10:59.
Here is a look at the 10 largest U.S. jackpots that have been won and the states where the winning tickets were sold:
1. $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 8, 2022 (one ticket, from California)
2. $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016 (three tickets, from California, Florida, and Tennessee)
3. $1.58 billion, Mega Millions, August 8, 2023 (one ticket from Florida)
4. $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018 (one ticket from South Carolina)
5. $1.35 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023 (one ticket from Maine)
6. $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022 (one ticket, from Illinois)
7. $1.05 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 22, 2021 (one ticket, from Michigan)
8. $768.4 million, Powerball, March 27, 2019 (one ticket, from Wisconsin)
9. $758.7 million, Powerball, Aug. 23, 2017 (one ticket, from Massachusetts)
10. $774.6 million, Powerball, Feb. 6, 2023 (one ticket, from Washington state)
For more information about the New York lottery and to see lottery results, please visit nylottery.ny.gov
New Yorkers struggling with a gambling addiction, or who know someone who is, can find help by calling the State's toll-free, confidential HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY (1-877-846-7369) or by texting HOPENY (467369). Standard text rates may apply.
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