The Georgia Ticket That Swept the $980 Million Mega Millions Jackpot

Record-Breaking Jackpot Win in Georgia's History

In an unprecedented event, the 40th drawing of the multi-state Mega Millions game ended a dry spell of 39 consecutive draws without a jackpot winner. This exceptional occasion saw an astounding $980 million being bagged by one fortunate lottery ticket holder in Georgia. All five numbers plus the Mega Ball on their ticket were an exact match with those drawn.

This is undoubtedly the largest lottery jackpot ever to be won in Georgia. The previous windfalls pale in comparison, with the most significant being a $648 million Mega Millions jackpot back in 2013, which was shared with a California ticket holder.

The Journey to Claiming the Prize

The previous highest single-ticket win in Georgia was a Powerball jackpot of $478.2 million claimed by two anonymous winners who opted for the $230.7 million cash option. In contrast, last night's winner has a more significant decision to make.

This lucky individual now has to choose between receiving $980 million in 30 increasing annual payments over 29 years or opting for an immediate lump-sum cash value of $452.2 million.

This staggering sum is among the world's top 14 largest jackpots and ranks as the 8th largest in Mega Millions history. According to Mega Millions Jackpot Analysis, after taxes are deducted, either $567.8 million will be received over 29 years or an instant sum of $261.5 million will be handed out. The winner will be subjected to a 5.19% state tax rate on lottery prizes in Georgia.

Per Georgia law, the winner has an allotted time of 180 days from the drawing date to claim their prize. Anonymity can be chosen by any Georgia lottery winner who bags more than $250,000, so we may never discover the identity of this fortunate individual. The winning ticket was a Quick Pick, meaning the numbers were randomly generated by the lottery terminal.

Other Winners of the Night

Besides the jackpot winner, luck was also on the side of a Michigan player who matched five numbers, securing a second prize win. Possessing a 3x multiplier on their winning ticket, their prize amounted to $3,000,000. Furthermore, 48 tickets matched four out of five numbers plus the Mega Ball and won prizes ranging from $20,000 to $100,000.

The Historic Ranking of Jackpot Wins

The recent Mega Millions jackpot goes down in history as the 14th-largest lottery jackpot in not just the United States but globally as well. It also takes its place as the 8th-largest in Mega Millions history. In terms of cash value jackpots, it ranks as the 19th largest in history.

For those interested in statistics, out of the top 25 jackpots; Powerball claims 15 and Mega Millions holds 10. Similarly, when considering cash value jackpots; Powerball again leads with 15 and Mega Millions follows with 10.