New Jersey Lottery Player Won Mega Millions’ First Jackpot of 2024
New Jersey erupted in cheers this week after a single ticket sold within the state snagged the coveted $1.13 billion Mega Millions jackpot during Tuesday’s drawing. It is said this Billion-dollar jackpot win is the first Mega Millions billionaire of 2024 and the fifth-largest jackpot in the game’s (Mega Millions) history!
Finally, on Tuesday night, a lucky New Jersey unlocked this life-altering fortune with winning numbers that were 7, 11, 22, 29, and 38, with the Mega Ball number landing on 4. The anticipation surrounding that was building for weeks finally stopped in the 35th drawing after December.
The New Jersey Lottery is urging all players to double-check their tickets meticulously. While the top prize was undoubtedly won by the sole player (New Jersey), Tuesday’s drawing also brought joy to thirteen lucky individuals who matched the first five numbers. Those players succeeded in securing a second-tier prize of $1 million each. These winning tickets were scattered across various states, with three found in New York, two each in Georgia and Florida, and the remaining ones in California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio.
In these players, one New York ticket holder found an extra special twist of fate. Their winning ticket included the optional Megaplier feature, which effectively doubled their prize from one million dollars to $2 million. Similarly, the California winner walks away with a slightly higher sum than $1 million (due to the state’s unique prize structure).
Now, the New Jersey Lottery lucky winner has a critical decision to make – they can choose to receive the entire jackpot amount in annual payments spread over decades, or they can opt for a significantly smaller, but lump-sum cash payout. No matter which option they choose, one thing is certain – the stroke of luck has forever changed their life on a Tuesday night in March.
Source: For updated information on Lottery payouts and Federal tax obligations visit www.irs.gov.
