$1.58 billion jackpot-winning Mega Millions ticket sold in Florida

ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU, TOM. WITH THE MEGA MILLIONS JACKPOT IS NOW UP TO MORE THAN $1 BILLION. AND HERE TO TALK ABOUT IT IS MARYLAND LOTTERY DIRECTOR JOHN MARK. JOHN, JOHN, I FEEL LIKE WHAT IS GOING ON? THIS SEEMS LIKE CRAZY TOWN THESE DAYS, ISN’T IT, THOUGH? YES. 1.05 BILLION OR 1 BILLION? 50 MILLION, IF YOU PREFER TO SAY IT THAT WAY. IT DOES SEEM THAT LATELY WE’VE HAD A RASH OF LARGE JACKPOTS AND THE REALITY IS IT’S JUST THE WAY THE NUMBERS SEEM TO FALL. DEBORAH YEAH, THAT’S JUST THE WAY THAT IT HAPPENS TO BE. BUT YOU SAY IT SO CALMLY, JOHN, AND YET WE’RE ALL IT’S FRENETIC AND NUTS OVER THIS. IT’S MY JOB TO BE CALM WHEN ALL THIS HAPPENS, RIGHT? YOU KNOW, IT IS A LOT OF FUN TO TO TO THINK ABOUT WHAT MIGHT HAPPEN, RIGHT? WELL, YEAH, IT’S REALLY HARD TO STOP DOING THAT. SO LET ME ASK YOU, BECAUSE WE SAID THIS, THAT YOU HAVE SOME GREAT, FABULOUS TIP FOR IF YOU WIN, IF YOU ARE THAT PERSON ON, WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU SHOULD DO AND THE FIRST THING YOU SHOULDN’T DO? WELL, THEY’RE KIND OF RELATED. I MEAN, FEEL FREE TO SCREAM AND, YOU KNOW, HAVE SOME FUN AND JOY. BUT WHEN WHEN THAT SUBSIDES, SIGN THE BACK OF YOUR TICKET. SECURE IT IN A PLACE, NOT THE FREEZER BEHIND THE VEGETABLES SECURED IN A PLACE THAT THAT MAKES SENSE TO YOU. AND THEN SEEK SOME FINANCIAL ADVICE. YOU HAVE 182 DAYS TO CLAIM ANY PRIZE AT THE MARYLAND LOTTERY. SO MAKE SURE YOU GET ALL YOUR YOUR FINANCIAL AFFAIRS IN ORDER, BECAUSE WHAT YOU DO NEXT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE AND GENERATIONS TO COME. SO SECURE IT IN A PLACE THAT MAKES SENSE TO YOU. WHERE WOULD YOU SECURE YOUR TICKET? WELL, I’M NOT GOING TO TELL YOU, BUT YOU DON’T EVEN GET TO PLAY. NO, I DON’T. BUT I GET TO SEE THE JOY AND THE FUN WHEN PEOPLE COME IN AND IT IS LIFE ALTERING TO SEE SOMEONE COME IN WITH THAT MASSIVE AMOUNT OF MONEY. OKAY. THAT’S VERY SELFLESS. HOWEVER, THERE’S WHEN IT GETS THIS BIG, YOU MUST JUST GET ITCH A LITTLE BIT THAT YOU WISH YOU COULD PLAY. YOU KNOW WHAT? I DON’T REALLY. I’M SORRY. I’M KIND OF THE MOST BORING PERSON. WELL, LET’S SEE WHAT YOU TELL ME IN THE COMMERCIAL, JOHN. NO, NO, I GET IT. I GET IT. NOBODY THAT WORKS FOR THE LOTTERY CAN PLAY, CORRECT. ALL RIGHT, SO WHEN IS THE DRAWING? DRAWING IS TOMORROW NIGHT. YOU HAVE UP UNTIL 1045. TOMORROW EVENING. STAY TUNED. DURING THE DAY, WE MAY SEE THIS JACKPOT INCREASE A LITTLE BIT BEYOND WHERE IT IS NOW AT 1.05. SO YOU MAY IT COULD GET TO, WHAT, TOMORROW? WELL, MORE THAN THAT, IT’S A FUNCTION OF SALES AND HOW THINGS GO. BUT STAY TUNED. CHECK OUT ALL YOUR MEDIA OUTLETS AND BE READY BY 1045 TO GET YOUR TICKET AT ANY OF OUR 4400 LOTTERY LOCATIONS. YOU CAN’T EVEN DO A SCRATCH OFF NOTHING, JOHN. I’M SORRY.

Lottery players had another shot Tuesday night at a massive Mega Millions prize that ranks among the largest jackpots in U.S. history.Someone in Florida won the $1.58 billion Mega Millions jackpot Tuesday night, ending a stretch of lottery futility that had stretched for nearly four months.The winning numbers from Tuesday's drawing were: 13, 19, 20, 32, 33, and the gold Mega Ball of 14The estimated $1.58 billion prize had been gradually building for months thanks to 31 straight drawings without a jackpot winner. The last time someone won the game’s top prize, prior to Tuesday night, was April 18.Each drawing without a winner pushed the prize closer to the record $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot that someone in California won last year. The second largest in size was in 2016, when the Powerball jackpot reached a nearly identical amount of $1.586 billion.Mega Millions jackpot winners are so rare thanks to odds of one in 302.6 million.The $1.58 billion payout would go to a winner who opts for an annuity, doled out over 30 years. But people usually prefer a lump sum option, which for Tuesday's jackpot would be an estimated $783.3 million.The money would be subject to federal taxes. Many states also tax lottery winnings.Mega Millions is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.Seven tickets matched the five white balls to win the game’s second-tier prize on Tuesday. Two, sold in Florida and North Carolina, are worth $2 million each because they included the optional Megaplier. The other five Match 5 tickets win the standard second-tier prize; they were sold in California, Pennsylvania, Texas (two) and West Virginia, an information release from Mega Millions officials stated Wednesday morning.Across the country, 166 tickets matched four white balls plus the Mega Ball to win the third-tier prize. Twenty-eight of those tickets are worth $20,000 each, because they also included the optional Megaplier. The other 138 third-tier winning tickets are worth $10,000 each, according to the Mega Millions release.The next Mega Millions drawing is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 11. The estimated jackpot is $20 million, the Mega Millions website indicated.

Lottery players had another shot Tuesday night at a massive Mega Millions prize that ranks among the largest jackpots in U.S. history.

Someone in Florida won the $1.58 billion Mega Millions jackpot Tuesday night, ending a stretch of lottery futility that had stretched for nearly four months.

The winning numbers from Tuesday's drawing were:

13, 19, 20, 32, 33, and the gold Mega Ball of 14

The estimated $1.58 billion prize had been gradually building for months thanks to 31 straight drawings without a jackpot winner. The last time someone won the game’s top prize, prior to Tuesday night, was April 18.

Each drawing without a winner pushed the prize closer to the record $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot that someone in California won last year. The second largest in size was in 2016, when the Powerball jackpot reached a nearly identical amount of $1.586 billion.

Mega Millions jackpot winners are so rare thanks to odds of one in 302.6 million.

The $1.58 billion payout would go to a winner who opts for an annuity, doled out over 30 years. But people usually prefer a lump sum option, which for Tuesday's jackpot would be an estimated $783.3 million.

The money would be subject to federal taxes. Many states also tax lottery winnings.

Mega Millions is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Seven tickets matched the five white balls to win the game’s second-tier prize on Tuesday. Two, sold in Florida and North Carolina, are worth $2 million each because they included the optional Megaplier. The other five Match 5 tickets win the standard second-tier prize; they were sold in California, Pennsylvania, Texas (two) and West Virginia, an information release from Mega Millions officials stated Wednesday morning.

Across the country, 166 tickets matched four white balls plus the Mega Ball to win the third-tier prize. Twenty-eight of those tickets are worth $20,000 each, because they also included the optional Megaplier. The other 138 third-tier winning tickets are worth $10,000 each, according to the Mega Millions release.

The next Mega Millions drawing is scheduled for Friday, Aug. 11. The estimated jackpot is $20 million, the Mega Millions website indicated.

$1.58 billion jackpot-winning Mega Millions ticket sold in Florida

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