$1.05 Billion Mega Millions Prize Claimed by MI Lottery Club
Four very lucky Michigan lottery players have stepped forward to claim the $1.05 billion Mega Millions jackpot they won in January. It's the biggest prize ever hit in the state and the third-highest ever in US lottery history.
The Wolverine FLL Club bought their winning Quick Pick ticket from the Kroger store at 47650 Grand River Avenue in Novi. The ticket was the only one to match all six Mega Millions numbers drawn on January 22: 4, 26, 42, 50, 60 and the gold Mega Ball 24.
"A club member saw a sign that the jackpot was up to $1 billion and remembered that they hadn't bought their tickets yet, so they pulled into the Kroger," said the group's attorney, Kurt D. Panouses, Esq. "When you play of course you dream of winning, but the reality of it has been incredible.
"This kind of money will impact the families of our club members for generations to come," a statement from the group read. "We plan to stay humble and pay it forward through charitable giving in southeast Michigan."
The club members, whose names have not been released, opted to receive their prize as a single lump-sum payment of approximately $776 million before taxes. After required federal and state withholdings, the four winners shared about $557 million.
"This is a good group of people, I believe that they're going to do some great things, and they're going to be good stewards with these funds," said Panouses. "I expect some great things happening in their community, southeast Michigan especially, as they move forward with this because it's very important to them."
The Kroger store that sold the winning ticket was paid a $50,000 bonus commission, which it donated to the Food Bank Council of Michigan.
Strong ticket sales produced the incredible jackpot over a record 37-draw run which began in late September 2020, with the top prize hitting $1 billion hours before the January 22 draw. Players stuck at home due to Covid-19 restrictions purchased 110% more Mega Millions tickets than during the same period in 2019.
Record Mega Millions Jackpot
The jackpot easily takes the top spot in Michigan lottery wins, beating the previous record-holder, a $337 million Powerball prize won in 2012. The state last enjoyed a Mega Millions jackpot win in October 2017.
The $1.05 billion prize is also the third-highest ever won in the United States. The second-highest is a $1.537 billion Mega Millions prize hit in 2018 by player from South Carolina. And the number-one prize in world lottery history is a $1.586 billion Powerball jackpot split by three tickets in 2016.
The current Mega Millions jackpot stands at $93 million with a cash lump sum of $62.7 million for the next draw on Tuesday, March 16, and you can get your tickets here.
Published: Sunday, March 14, 2021Updated: Friday, May 14, 2021