A Ticket Sold in Florida Has Won the $1.58 Billion Mega Millions Jackpot

CNN: One ticket sold in Florida has won Tuesday night’s estimated $1.58 billion Mega Millions jackpot – expected to be the largest in the lottery’s history – according to the lottery’s website. The winning numbers were 13, 19, 20, 32, 33 with a gold Mega Ball of 14.

The winning ticket was sold at a Publix supermarket in Neptune Beach, Florida, according to the state’s lottery.

A $1.58 billion jackpot – if the prize is confirmed at that level – would exceed the Mega Millions record of $1.537 billion won in South Carolina in 2018, the lottery said. (+ video explainer) » | Jamiel Lynch, CNN | Wednesday, August 9, 2023

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Mega Millions Lottery Balloons to Third-largest Jackpot of $1.55bn

THE GUARDIAN: Prize has inflated because no one has matched the game’s winning numbers since 18 April – but this could all end on Tuesday

The longest run for a Mega Millions jackpot was 36 drawings with a pot of $1.05bn. Photograph: John Angelillo/UPI/Shutterstock
A Mega Millions lottery jackpot has grown to $1.55bn, making it the third-largest ever ahead of Tuesday night’s drawing.

The prize has ballooned because no one has matched the game’s six winning numbers since 18 April, amounting to 31 straight drawings without a big winner.

The nearly four-month-long unlucky streak could be all the sweeter for the person who finally lands the top prize, which is inching toward the record lottery jackpot of $2.04bn won in 2022 by a player in California.

“It’s a fun thing,” said Merlin Smith, a retired real estate appraiser who stopped Monday at a gasoline station in Minneapolis to buy five tickets. “But if you’re depending on winning, you’d be disappointed a lot.” » | Associated Press | Tuesday, August 8, 2023