A lucky Georgia player has officially claimed the massive $983 million Mega Millions jackpot, making history as the biggest lottery prize ever in the state, Georgia Lottery Corp. President and CEO Gretchen Corbin announced.
The winning ticket, drawn on November 14, was claimed on January 2. The winner opted for the cash payout of $453.6 million before taxes.
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Record-breaking win: This prize eclipses Georgia’s previous largest lottery jackpot—a $478.2 million Powerball won on October 23, 2024. That earlier prize was split between two winners who each took home $230.6 million in cash.
The Georgia winner is staying anonymous, as allowed by state law, but shared that family members have benefited from the lottery-funded HOPE Scholarship. They also said they regularly play to support HOPE and Georgia’s Pre-K program—and decided to buy their ticket after spotting the growing jackpot on a Georgia Lottery billboard.
The lucky ticket was a Quick Pick purchased at Publix #1816, 4000 N. Highway 29 in Newnan. Fun fact: Georgia Lottery retailers that sell a winning Mega Millions jackpot ticket get a $50,000 bonus.
It’s an incredible start to the year for one Georgian, and a reminder that sometimes, just one ticket can change everything.
The winning ticket, drawn on November 14, was claimed on January 2. The winner opted for the cash payout of $453.6 million before taxes.
The Georgia winner is staying anonymous, as allowed by state law, but shared that family members have benefited from the lottery-funded HOPE Scholarship. They also said they regularly play to support HOPE and Georgia’s Pre-K program—and decided to buy their ticket after spotting the growing jackpot on a Georgia Lottery billboard.
The lucky ticket was a Quick Pick purchased at Publix #1816, 4000 N. Highway 29 in Newnan. Fun fact: Georgia Lottery retailers that sell a winning Mega Millions jackpot ticket get a $50,000 bonus.
It’s an incredible start to the year for one Georgian, and a reminder that sometimes, just one ticket can change everything.
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