Mega Millions winner reloads app out of disbelief. ‘You can’t imagine my shock’
A lottery player who won a Mega Millions jackpot of more than a half-billion dollars is now envisioning an early retirement, according to Illinois Lottery officials.
The winner, who remained anonymous, said “you can’t imagine my shock and disbelief” after they opened the Illinois Lottery app to reveal they were the winner of the Mega Millions drawing on June 4. The player matched all five numbers and the Mega Ball — 19-37-40-63-69-17 — to win the $552 million jackpot.
“I actually quit the app and then signed back in to double check and make sure it was real,” the winner told lottery officials. “It was real all right — but it still feels unreal.”
The $552 million win is a historic prize. It’s the ninth-largest Mega Millions jackpot prize ever and the second-largest lottery prize ever won in Illinois.
The winner said they have been a “hard worker” their whole adult life, even convincing their mother to retire to provide care for her. The winner hadn’t yet told their mom about the prize but expects an emotional reaction.
“When that time comes, we’re all going to be shedding some happy tears,” the player told lottery officials.
The winner now hopes to join their mother in retirement.
“I’ve always dreamed of retiring early and enjoying life with my family,” the winner told lottery officials. “I think it’s safe to say my dream just came true.”
A Mega Millions player in New Jersey won the $1.128 billion jackpot in the March 26 drawing, marking the last top prize won in the game before the Illinois player’s big moment, lottery officials said.
What to know about Mega Millions
To score a jackpot in the Mega Millions, a player must match all five white balls and the gold Mega Ball.
The odds of scoring a jackpot prize are 1 in 302,575,350.
Tickets cost $2 and can be bought on the day of the drawing, but sales times vary by state.
Drawings are held Tuesdays and Fridays at 11 p.m. ET and can be streamed online.
Mega Millions is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
This story was originally published June 10, 2024 at 9:29 AM with the headline "Mega Millions winner reloads app out of disbelief. ‘You can’t imagine my shock’."