Mega Millions winners: North Carolina player will get $2 million
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It finally happened — someone drew the winning numbers for the record-breaking Mega Millions prize, with a jackpot of $1.58 billion.
While the big winner purchased their ticket at a Publix in Florida, a North Carolina player will take home $2 million after matching the five numbers plus the megaplier. The ticket was sold at a gas station in Wilmington. The identity of the winners is not yet known.
The jackpot is back at a starting point of an estimated $20 million with a cash option of $9.9 million.
Mega Millions winning numbers for Tuesday, Aug. 8
The winning numbers for Friday night's drawing were 13-19-20-32-33 and the Megaball was 14, with a Megaplier of 2X.
Were there Mega Millions winners in Tuesday's drawing?
One person from Florida matched all five numbers and the Megaball Tuesday.
According to the lottery game, two players hit the Match 5 with the megaplier, bringing their winnings to $2 million. The players are from Florida and North Carolina.
Seven players hit the Match 5 to win $1 million. They were in the following states: California, Pennsylvania, West Virginia and two in Texas.
How to play Mega Millions
Mega Millions tickets cost $2 per play.
There are nine total ways to win a prize, from the jackpot to $2.
Players can pick six numbers from two separate pools of numbers: five different numbers from the white balls numbered 1-70 and one number from the gold balls numbered 1-25.
- Five white balls + one gold ball = Jackpot.
- Five white balls = $1 million.
- Four white balls + one gold ball = $10,000.
- Four white balls = $500.
- Three white balls + one gold ball = $200.
- Three white balls = $10.
- Two white balls + one gold ball= $10.
- One white ball + one gold ball = $4.
- One gold ball = $2.
You can either pick your lucky numbers yourself or select Easy Pick or Quick Pick and have the numbers auto-drawn. If you can't make up your mind, the Mega Millions website has a random number generator.
What is the Megaplier?
Most states offer the Megaplier feature, which increases non-jackpot prizes from 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."
What were the largest jackpots won in lottery history?
The last highest jackpot for a national lottery drawing was recently, with a record $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot being won in California on Nov. 7, 2022.
Tuesday's Mega Millions jackpot was the biggest in its history, worth $1.58 billion. Previously, the biggest Mega Millions jackpot was won on Oct. 23, 2018 in South Carolina. It was worth $1.537 billion.
- $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 7, 2022: Won in California.
- $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016: Three winners in California, Florida, Tennessee.
- $1.58 billion, Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023: Won in Florida
- $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018: Won in South Carolina.
- $1.348 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023: Won in Maine.
- $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022: Won in Illinois.
- $1.08 billion, Powerball, July 19, 2023: Won in California.
- $1.05 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 22, 2021: Won in Michigan.
- $768.4 million, Powerball, March 27, 2019: Won in Wisconsin.
- $758.7 million, Powerball, Aug. 23, 2017: Won in Massachusetts.
- $730 million, Powerball, Jan. 20, 2021: Won in Maryland.
The most recent North Carolina natives to take home the Mega Millions grand prize was the Jones Family from Greenville, North Carolina. On September 30, 2011, the family split the jackpot with a group from Los Angeles, who submitted their winning ticket on the same day. Each group took home $56.5 million.
Mike Manheim from Greensboro, North Carolina cashed in his winning Mega Millions ticket the year prior. His winnings on May 28, 2010, earned him $12 million.
