Ticket bought in Monmouth County wins Mega Millions $1.13 billion jackpot

Watch Mega Millions drawings every Tuesday and Friday night at 10:59 p.m. ET right here

ByEyewitness News WABC logo
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Mega Millions $1.13 billion ticket sold in New Jersey
Toni Yates has more on the buzz surrounding Neptune's lucky lotto winner.

NEW YORK (WABC) -- One lucky ticket has won the Mega Millions jackpot of $1.13 billion and it was sold at a grocery store in New New Jersey.



A ticket bought in Monmouth County, New Jersey, matched all six numbers drawn in Tuesday night's Mega Millions drawing.



Officials announced Wednesday the ticket was sold at ShopRite Liquor on Route 66 in Neptune Township and it was purchased Tuesday night.



The winning numbers were: 11- 22- 7- 29-38 Mega Ball: 4. The jackpot had an estimated cash option of a whopping $537.5 million.



That ticket just secured the fifth-largest prize in Mega Millions history and the largest lottery prize in New Jersey history.



Store clerk TiYahna Bambaata sold the winning ticket.



"I honestly do not remember who I sold the ticket to, so many people came in last night buying tickets, so I have no idea," Bambaata said.



Because it sold the wining ticket, the ShopRite received a $30,000 check -- but officials said they had big plans for the prize.



"Through our Partners in Caring program, we're going to donate our commission to the local food bank up the street," said Saker ShopRite CEO Richard Saker.



Lottery winners can remain anonymous in New Jersey, under a law signed by Gov. Phil Murphy four years ago. New Jersey is one of 18 states where lottery winners can remain anonymous.



Three people in New York are also waking up a whole lot richer. Two New York tickets grabbed $1 million as Match 5 winners, and another New York ticket came out with $20,000 for the Match 5 + Megaplier.



The two tickets worth $1 million were each sold at gas stations: One at a Citgo gas station in Locust Valley and another at a Speedway in Cicero.



Watch Mega Millions drawings every Tuesday and Friday at 10:59 p.m. ET right here



The Mega Millions jackpot was rolling since it was last won with two tickets in California on December 8.



March has been a very good month for Mega Millions jackpot winners. Since the game began in May 2002, 21 jackpots have been won during March, including two exceeding $500 million.



A $656 million prize on March 30, 2012, was shared by winning tickets in Illinois, Kansas, and Maryland; that was a world record for a jackpot game at the time.



A New Jersey player celebrated a $533 million win on March 30, 2018.



The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350.



The Powerball jackpot has also risen to more than $800 million.





Top Mega Millions Jackpots



1. $1.602 billion, August 8, 2023 (one ticket in Florida)



2. $1.537 billion, October 23, 2018 (one ticket in South Carolina)


3. $1.348 billion, January 13, 2023 (one ticket in Maine)


4. $1.337 billion, July 29, 2022 (one ticket in Illinois)


5. $1.13 billion, March 26, 2024 (one ticket in New Jersey)


6. $656 million, March 30, 2012, (three tickets in Illinois, Kansas, Maryland)


7. $648 million, December 17, 2013 (two tickets sold in California, Georgia)



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. $2.040 billion, Powerball, Nov. 7, 2022 (one ticket: California)


2. $1.765 billion, Powerball, Oct. 11, 2023 (one ticket: California)


3. $1.602 billion, Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023 (one ticket: Florida)


4. $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016 (three tickets: California, Florida and Tennessee)



5. $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018 (one ticket: South Carolina)


6. $1.348 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023 (one ticket: Maine)


7. $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022 (one ticket: Illinois)


8. $1.13 billion, Mega Millions, March 26, 2024 (one ticket in New Jersey)


9. $1.08 billion, Powerball, July, 19, 2023 (one ticket: California)


10.$1.05 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 22, 2021 (one ticket: Michigan)



WATCH: New York state lottery drawings live daily at 2:30 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. and Wednesdays and Saturdays at 8:15 p.m.


Powerball drawings are also streamed here on Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:59 p.m.


Mega Millions drawings are streamed on Tuesday and Friday at 11:00 p.m.



Sources: AP archives, www.megamillions.com and www.powerball.com



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