CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A lucky lottery player in Statesville scored a $4 million prize during Tuesday's Mega Millions drawing, the North Carolina Education Lottery announced Wednesday.
The lucky winner bought the $3 ticket online, matching all five white balls to win a $1 million prize. Because the ticket was a Megaplier ticket, the prize quadrupled when the 4X multiplier came up during the drawing.
The $4 million prize was the largest won nationally in the drawing. Four people scored $1 million prizes, including a pair of winners in California. The odds of matching all four white balls are 1 in 12.6 million.
There was also a $10,000 winner in Charlotte. That win came on a ticket purchased at the 7-Eleven on North Tryon Street. Both winners have 180 days to claim their prizes.
Mega Millions winning numbers for Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2024
The winning numbers for Tuesday's drawing were: 56-66-67-68-69 − 18 MegaBall, with 4x MegaPlier.
When a winner matches all five numbers and the Mega Ball, they have the option to take the full jackpot paid out as an annuity over 30 years, or a lump sum cash payout of roughly half the size. Winners almost always take the cash option.
Players who match only the first five numbers win at least $1 million.
No one won Tuesday's Mega Millions jackpot, which is now up to $825 million. Should someone claim the grand prize, they can take it as an annuity for the entire $825 million or take a $382.2 million cash prize. The odds of winning a Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 302 million.
The current $825 million jackpot is the seventh-largest prize in Mega Millions history. The grand prize has gone unclaimed since it was last won on Sept. 10 in Texas, when someone scored an eye-popping $810 million jackpot.
Playing the lottery is a form of gambling. If you are concerned about your gambling or worried about a friend, you can call the NC Problem Gambling Helpline at 1-877-718-5543. You can also contact the National Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.