MEGA Millions players have been urged to check their numbers after a slip worth $568,000 was sold.
Lotto chiefs in California said one player bought the ticket at a cash-checking store.
One player came agonizingly close to scooping the bumper $129 million jackpot on Tuesday, according to Mega Millions.
They just missed out on one number but managed to scoop a tidy $568,680 after buying the slip at the Eastside Checks Cashed outlet in Antelope Valley, which is located in northern Los Angeles County.
Mega Millions winners tend to scoop $1 million if they match five numbers, but the lotto rules are slightly different in California.
Payments are dished out based on the number of winners and the sales.
However, the player must pay a federal tax rate of 24% on their winnings.
Gamblers in California, however, do not have to pay a state lotto tax.
This is unlike winners in New York, for example, who see a whopping 10.9% wiped for the state.
No player scooped the $129 million jackpot, which means the prize pot has rolled over.
It now stands at $150 million ahead of the next draw which takes place on Friday evening.
The prize pot has an estimated cash option of $71.5 million.
A ticket costs $2 and players have odds of around one in 24 of winning a prize.
Prizes range from $2 to the jackpot, but the odds of winning the bumper sum are one in around 302 million.
But Mega Millions chiefs have announced the game will see a series of changes starting in April 2025.
Lottery winnings: lump sum or annuity?
Players who win big on lottery tickets typically have a choice to make: lump sum or annuity?
The two payout methods can impact how much money you get from your prize.
Annuities pay out slowly in increments, often over 30 years.
Lump sums pay all at once but in a smaller amount, as taxes are withheld in one go. That means 24% of your prize goes to Uncle Sam right away. Many states tax winnings as well.
Annuities can provide winners time to set up the financial infrastructure required to take in a life-changing amount of money, but lump sums have the benefit of being taxed only once.
Inflation is also worth considering when making a choice, as payouts do not adjust with the value of a dollar. That means that you’ll likely be getting less valuable money towards the end of an annuity.
Each state and game pays out prizes differently, so it’s best to check with your state’s lottery to confirm payment policies. A financial advisor can also help you weigh the pros and cons of each option.
Experts have varying opinions on whether to take the lump sum or take the annuity.
The cost of a Mega Millions ticket will jump from $2 to $5.
And break-even prizes will soon be a thing of the past.
This means gamblers will no longer receive $2 for matching the Mega Ball.
Chiefs have revealed that gamblers who match the Mega Ball will receive at least $10.
Bosses said that jackpot prizes would rise quickly and one of the golden Mega Balls would be removed from the game.
But the decision to increase the cost of the ticket has divided players.
Cortney Jackson told CBS affiliate WNEM-TV that she will stop playing the game because of the price hike.
Whereas store owner Raed Alsahuri said he would try the game of chance if the timing felt right.
Top lottery winners in the US
Millions dream of winning the lottery and finding fame and fortune. These are the biggest winners in US lottery history.
- Edwin Castro – $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 8, 2022, in California.
- Theodorus Struyck – $1.765 billion, Powerball, Oct. 11, 2023, in California.
- Unknown winner – $1.602 billion, Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023, in Florida.
- Marvin and Mae Acosta from Los Angeles, California, John and Lisa Robinson from Munford, Tennessee, and Maureen Smith and David Kaltschmidt from Melbourne Beach, Florida – $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016.
- Unknown winner – $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018, from South Carolina.
- Unknown winner – he sued the mother of his child to keep his identity hidden – $1.348 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023, from Maine.
- Unknown winner – $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022, from Illinois.
- Cheng and Duanpen Saephan, and Laiza Liem Chao – $1.326 billion, Powerball, April 7, 2024, from Oregon.
- Yanira Alvarez – $1.08 billion Powerball, July 19, 2023 in California.
- Wolverine FLL Lottery Club – $1.05 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 22, 2021, from Michigan.
- Unknown winner – $842.4 million Powerball, Jan. 1, 2024, from Michigan.
