$1.1 billion Mega Millions jackpot remains unclaimed 6 months later as deadline looms

A mystery Texas player won a staggering $810 million Mega Millions jackpot on Tuesday night but an even bigger Mega Millions jackpot from earlier this year remains unclaimed.

The first Mega Millions jackpot of 2024 was won on March 26 and is worth an estimated $1.128 billion - making it the fifth largest jackpot in the game's history. But the lucky winner still hasn't come forward to claim their prize, lottery officials have revealed.

The winning ticket was sold in New Jersey, where winners have up to one year from the day of the draw to claim their Mega Millions prize. That means that nearly six months of the 12 to claim have already gone.

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New Jersey prize winners can choose to remain anonymous to claim their jackpot if they wish. They must simply show valid identification while claiming their prize at lottery headquarters, lottery officials said.

The unclaimed ticket was purchased at the ShopRite Liquor on Route 66 in Neptune, New Jersey. The winning numbers were 07, 11, 22, 29, 38, 02 and the Megaplier was 2.

The retailer earns a $30,000 bonus for selling the ticket. If a Mega Millions jackpot goes unclaimed, each participating state will get back the money it contributed.

Each state uses unclaimed lottery prizes for different purposes but unclaimed money usually remains in the state's lottery fund. A lucky Texan still needs to claim the $810 million prize that was won on Tuesday.

The prized ticket was purchased in a Murphy USA gas station along Highway 90A in Sugar Land, Texas. The win broke a streak of over 20 drawings without a jackpot winner.

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The $800 million prize was the largest lottery jackpot prize ever won by a Texas lottery player and the 17th largest jackpot won in U.S. lottery history. The winning numbers were 1, 2, 16, 24, 66, and the gold Mega ball 6.

“We are beyond thrilled to celebrate Texas’ largest-ever jackpot winner and can’t wait to meet and congratulate them in person,” Ryan Mindell, executive director of the Texas Lottery, said in a statement. “If you’re the lucky holder of the winning ticket, be sure to sign it, secure it in a safe place, consult financial and legal advisors and then contact the Texas Lottery before making your way to Austin to claim the prize.”