A winning ticket was sold in Michigan by the Mega Millions $ 1.05 billion jackpot, the third largest lottery prize in the history of the United States.
The winning numbers drawn on Friday were 4, 26, 42, 50, 60 and a Mega Ball of 24. The winning ticket was purchased at a Kroger store in Detroit’s Novi suburb, the Michigan Lottery said.
“Someone in Michigan woke up with news that changed his life this morning, and Kroger Michigan congratulates Michigan’s newest billionaire,” said Rachel Hurst, regional spokeswoman for the supermarket chain. She declined to comment further.
The grand prize had been growing since September 15, when a winning ticket was sold in Wisconsin. The lottery’s next estimated jackpot is $ 20 million.
Friday night’s draw came two days after a ticket sold in Maryland won a $ 731.1 million Powerball jackpot.
Only two lottery prizes in the US were bigger than Friday’s jackpot. Three tickets for a $ 1.586 billion Powerball jackpot were sold in January 2016, and one winning ticket was sold for a $ 1.537 billion Mega Millions jackpot in October 2018.
The jackpot values refer to the values if the winner chooses an annuity, paid in 30 annual installments. Most winners choose a cash prize, which for the Mega Millions jackpot is $ 776.6 million.
In Grosse Ile, a suburb south of Detroit, 126 people bought more than 600 tickets to Friday’s draw, but did not win the main prize.
They hoped to earn enough money to replace a publicly owned bridge on their island in the Detroit River, which has been closed indefinitely for major repairs. The only other transport option for the island’s 10,000 residents is a privately owned toll bridge.
“We used this to lift our spirits and dream a little,” said organizer Kyle de Beausset. “Of course, we are open to any help with the bridge, but I cannot imagine that the winner would like to finance it.”
The chances of winning a Mega Millions jackpot are incredibly high: one in 302.5 million. The game is played in 45 states, as well as Washington DC and the US Virgin Islands.