Anonymous Winner in Georgia Claims $983M Mega Millions Jackpot This November
The Bottom Line, Minnesota fraud, Greenland, Welfare scandal
A Georgia resident has emerged as the winner of the $983 million Mega Millions jackpot, marking the eighth-largest prize in the game’s history and the largest lottery win ever recorded in the state, officials announced on Tuesday.
The lucky ticket holder, who has chosen to remain anonymous, came forward on January 2 to claim the prize after the drawing took place on November 14. Opting for the cash option, they will receive $453.6 million before taxes.
Interestingly, the winner has family members who have benefited from the Georgia Lottery-funded HOPE Scholarship, highlighting a personal connection to the lottery’s impact on education in the state.
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The $983 million Mega Millions jackpot was claimed by a Georgia resident following the Nov. 14 drawing. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)
“We are thrilled to celebrate Georgia’s record-breaking jackpot winner and their life-changing start to the new year,” said Georgia Lottery Corp. President and CEO Gretchen Corbin in a statement. “This historic jackpot was also significant for Georgia’s students, families, and communities who benefit from HOPE and Pre-K. We congratulate our winner and appreciate the support of our players and retail partners during this exciting jackpot run.”
The winner is a regular lottery player who enjoys supporting HOPE and Pre-K initiatives in the state. They were inspired to purchase a ticket after seeing the growing jackpot advertised on a billboard.
Upon learning of the winning ticket, the individual checked the Georgia Lottery website to confirm the numbers and verify their win.
According to the lottery, the winner hopes to make the prize “generational” while also giving back to “good causes.”
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A Georgia resident was identified as the winner of the $983 million Mega Millions jackpot, the largest lottery prize ever won in the state. (Reuters/Mike Segar / Reuters Photos)
The winning Quick Pick ticket was sold at a Publix supermarket in Newnan, Georgia. Retailers that sell winning Mega Millions tickets receive a $50,000 incentive bonus payment from the Georgia Lottery.
The last time a player won such a substantial prize was in December 2024, when a California resident took home a staggering $1.269 billion jackpot.
“This is by far the largest prize ever won in November, and it ranks as the eighth-largest jackpot in the history of the game,” the lottery stated after the November drawing. They also noted that there were nearly 14.3 million winning tickets at all prize levels during the 40 drawings since the last jackpot was won at $348 million in Virginia on June 27, marking the most drawings in a single jackpot run in the game’s history.
$1.8B POWERBALL JACKPOT WON ON CHRISTMAS EVE IN ARKANSAS
The Nov. 14 Mega Millions drawing resulted in a $983 million jackpot win in Georgia. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
The jackpot had been accumulating since the end of June when a single ticket sold in Georgia matched all six numbers in the November 14 drawing. Notably, Mega Millions altered its format last April, increasing ticket prices from $2 to $5 per play. This change is anticipated to accelerate jackpot growth and raise the starting jackpot from $20 million to $50 million.
The record for the largest jackpot still belongs to a $1.602 billion prize won in Florida in August 2023.
FOX Business’ Greg Norman contributed to this report.
The Bottom Line, Minnesota fraud, Greenland, Welfare scandal
A Georgia resident has emerged as the winner of the $983 million Mega Millions jackpot, marking the eighth-largest prize in the game’s history and the largest lottery win ever recorded in the state, officials announced on Tuesday.
The lucky ticket holder, who has chosen to remain anonymous, came forward on January 2 to claim the prize after the drawing took place on November 14. Opting for the cash option, they will receive $453.6 million before taxes.
Interestingly, the winner has family members who have benefited from the Georgia Lottery-funded HOPE Scholarship, highlighting a personal connection to the lottery’s impact on education in the state.
AMERICANS SURGE TOWARD FINANCIAL RESOLUTIONS FOR 2026 AMID HOUSEHOLD BUDGET CONCERNS
The $983 million Mega Millions jackpot was claimed by a Georgia resident following the Nov. 14 drawing. (Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images / Getty Images)
“We are thrilled to celebrate Georgia’s record-breaking jackpot winner and their life-changing start to the new year,” said Georgia Lottery Corp. President and CEO Gretchen Corbin in a statement. “This historic jackpot was also significant for Georgia’s students, families, and communities who benefit from HOPE and Pre-K. We congratulate our winner and appreciate the support of our players and retail partners during this exciting jackpot run.”
The winner is a regular lottery player who enjoys supporting HOPE and Pre-K initiatives in the state. They were inspired to purchase a ticket after seeing the growing jackpot advertised on a billboard.
Upon learning of the winning ticket, the individual checked the Georgia Lottery website to confirm the numbers and verify their win.
According to the lottery, the winner hopes to make the prize “generational” while also giving back to “good causes.”
NEARLY HALF OF AMERICANS FEEL FINANCIALLY BEHIND AS 2025 COMES TO A CLOSE, POLL SHOWS
A Georgia resident was identified as the winner of the $983 million Mega Millions jackpot, the largest lottery prize ever won in the state. (Reuters/Mike Segar / Reuters Photos)
The winning Quick Pick ticket was sold at a Publix supermarket in Newnan, Georgia. Retailers that sell winning Mega Millions tickets receive a $50,000 incentive bonus payment from the Georgia Lottery.
The last time a player won such a substantial prize was in December 2024, when a California resident took home a staggering $1.269 billion jackpot.
“This is by far the largest prize ever won in November, and it ranks as the eighth-largest jackpot in the history of the game,” the lottery stated after the November drawing. They also noted that there were nearly 14.3 million winning tickets at all prize levels during the 40 drawings since the last jackpot was won at $348 million in Virginia on June 27, marking the most drawings in a single jackpot run in the game’s history.
$1.8B POWERBALL JACKPOT WON ON CHRISTMAS EVE IN ARKANSAS
The Nov. 14 Mega Millions drawing resulted in a $983 million jackpot win in Georgia. (Tayfun Coskun/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
The jackpot had been accumulating since the end of June when a single ticket sold in Georgia matched all six numbers in the November 14 drawing. Notably, Mega Millions altered its format last April, increasing ticket prices from $2 to $5 per play. This change is anticipated to accelerate jackpot growth and raise the starting jackpot from $20 million to $50 million.
The record for the largest jackpot still belongs to a $1.602 billion prize won in Florida in August 2023.
FOX Business’ Greg Norman contributed to this report.
