Mega Millions player just misses $619M jackpot — but scores massive win in Florida
A Mega Millions player just missed a $619 million jackpot — but still scored a massive win in Florida.
The player bought a ticket that matched all but one number picked in the Dec. 10 drawing. Since the person spent an extra dollar on the Megaplier option, their $1 million prize rose to $5 million, results show.
The winning numbers: white balls 12-14-26-48-52, with gold Mega Ball 21.
So, where did the lucky player buy the ticket? It was sold at a Publix supermarket in Crystal River, a roughly 80-mile drive north from Tampa, the Florida Lottery wrote in a news release.
The Mega Millions player is set to get richer after their ticket matched the five white balls. It was one number short of hitting the jackpot, which stood at an estimated $619 million the night of the drawing, according to the game’s website.
As of early Dec. 11, the Florida Lottery website didn’t say whether the Mega Millions prize had been claimed. Winners have about six months to cash in, rules show.
What to know about Mega Millions
To score the jackpot in the Mega Millions, a player must match all five white balls and the gold Mega Ball. The odds of scoring a jackpot prize are 1 in 302,575,350.
Tickets cost $2 and can be bought on the day of the drawing, but sales times vary by state. Officials have announced they will cost $5 starting in April.
Drawings are held Tuesdays and Fridays at 11 p.m. ET and can be streamed online.
Mega Millions is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
This story was originally published December 11, 2024 at 8:36 AM with the headline "Mega Millions player just misses $619M jackpot — but scores massive win in Florida."
