“We are beyond thrilled to celebrate Texas’ largest-ever jackpot winner and can’t wait to meet and congratulate them in person,” said Ryan Mindell, executive director of the Texas Lottery

Largest lottery jackpot prize ever won by a Texas Lottery^® player; 
7^th largest jackpot prize in Mega Millions history

AUSTIN – A jackpot-winning ticket worth an estimated annuitized $800 million for the Mega Millions^® drawing held on Sept. 10 was purchased in Sugar Land, marking the largest lottery jackpot prize ever won by a Texas Lottery® player. The jackpot-winning Quick Pick ticket for the seventh largest prize in Mega Millions history was sold at Murphy Express 8848, located at 7520 Highway 90A, and matched all six of the numbers drawn (1-2-16-24-66, Mega Ball 6). The player chose the cash value option at the time of purchase, which was estimated at $404.2 million before taxes prior to the drawing. The prize has not yet been claimed. The winner has 180 days from the draw date to claim the prize and the retailer is eligible to receive a $1 million retailer bonus for selling this jackpot-winning ticket.

The winning Mega Millions jackpot started as a $20 million prize on June 7 and rolled 27 times before being hit. The jackpot for the next Mega Millions drawing on Friday, Sept. 13 will reset to $20 million.

“We are beyond thrilled to celebrate Texas’ largest-ever jackpot winner and can’t wait to meet and congratulate them in person,” said Ryan Mindell, executive director of the Texas Lottery. “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.”

In addition to the Sept. 10 jackpot-winning prize, 175,127 Mega Millions tickets in Texas, including those with the Megaplier® add-on feature, won lower-tier prizes ranging from $2 to $40,000.

This is the 15th Mega Millions jackpot winner in Texas and the first since Oct. 6, 2023, when The Blue Yucca Trust won an estimated annuitized $360 million prize on a ticket that was purchased in San Angelo. The claimant for that drawing chose the cash value option and received $157,367,045 before taxes; the largest prize ever paid out to a single Texas Lottery player at that time.

Texas joined the multijurisdictional game in 2003 and had its first Mega Millions jackpot winner in 2004 when UT Van Nguyen of Carrollton claimed the $106 million jackpot from the Oct. 1, 2004 drawing.

Since the start of 2024, 11 Texas Lottery players have won second-tier Mega Millions prizes of $1 million or larger, including six during the most recent jackpot run. Among those second-tier prizes, a ticket worth $1,000,002 from the March 19 drawing that was sold in Houston is due to expire on Sunday, Sept. 15, if not validated by the deadline. Due to weekend office closures, a ticket holder choosing to make an in-person claim for the March 19 prize must do so by Friday, Sept. 13 at 5 p.m. local time. More information about the prize is available here.

Mega Millions is played by choosing five numbers from a field of 70 and one Mega Ball number from the second field of 25 numbers. To win the Mega Millions jackpot, players must match all six numbers drawn including the Mega Ball. Players matching fewer numbers may not win the jackpot, but still walk away winners. Mega Millions currently offers a $20 million starting jackpot and a second-tier (Match 5+0) prize of $1 million. By choosing the Megaplier for $1 more per Play, players can multiply their non-jackpot winnings by two, three, four or five times, winning as much as $5 million. Drawings are broadcast each Tuesday and Friday at 10:12 p.m. CT.

About the Texas Lottery

Beginning with the first ticket sold in 1992, the Texas Lottery has generated more than $39 billion in revenue for the state and distributed more than $88 billion in prizes to lottery players. Since 1997, the Texas Lottery has contributed more than $33.5 billion to the Foundation School Fund, which supports public education in Texas. As authorized by the Texas Legislature, certain Texas Lottery revenues benefit state programs including the Fund for Veterans’ Assistance. Since the first veterans’ themed scratch ticket game was launched in 2009, the Texas Lottery has contributed more than $246 million for programs supporting Texas veterans.

The Texas Lottery provides several entertaining games for lottery players including Powerball®, Mega Millions®, Lotto Texas®, All or Nothing™, Texas Two Step®, Pick 3™, Daily 4™, Cash Five® and scratch ticket games. For more information visit us on Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn, YouTube or at texaslottery.com. PLAY RESPONSIBLY.