In 2022 Illinois made headlines when it was reported that a person from this state won $1,280 million in Mega Millions, the most important lottery in the United States, by matching all five lottery numbers plus the Mega Ball. These were the winning numbers: 13-36-45-57-67, Mega Ball: 14. The probability of winning the jackpot was one in 302.5 million.

The amount of money accumulated in Mega Millions was the second largest in the history of this lottery. The accumulated fund was forged on April 15, with a total of 29 draws in which the prize was left vacant. Prior to these Illinois lottery results, the last winner was a player from Tennessee.

The person purchased the winning ticket at Speedy Café Speedway, a station located on E. Touhy Avenue in Des Plaines. Des Plaines is a suburb of Chicago, located north of O’Hare International Airport. Workers at the gas station have declined to comment on the possible winner of the large prize. The store will receive a $500,000 commission for selling the ticket.

As reported by Mega Millions, there were 20 people who matched five numbers. All of them won $1 million each. Meanwhile, only one person matched, in addition to the five chances, the famous Mega Ball.

The jackpot winners have two cashing options to choose from. The first is an annual payment for the next 29 years. That is, the total prize is divided into 29 installments. The other alternative is a one-time cash payment for a substantially smaller amount. For this jackpot, the one-time cash payment was $747.2 million.

After the jackpot winner, the Mega Millions bankroll stands at $20 million. The prize accumulates as people buy tickets.

And as notes of interest, the Mega Millions is played in 45 states in addition to Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and is coordinated by state lotteries.

Across the country, state lottery systems use lottery proceeds to boost education, tourism, transportation and more. With the huge Mega Millions jackpot, state officials are hoping that increased national interest in hitting the jackpot will translate into more funding for their own causes.

Top 10 biggest jackpots in lottery history

The Mega Millions fever resulting from this jackpot also sparks curiosity about what are the 10 largest jackpots ever awarded in the United States.

The largest of all time is held by Powerball, with $1,586 million dollars, in the drawing that took place on January 3, 2016.  On that occasion there were three winning tickets, which were sold in California, Florida and Tennessee.

Biggest prizes in Mega Millions history

1 – The record Mega Millions jackpot is $1.537 billion, won in South Carolina on October 23, 2018.

2 – It is followed by the $1.05 billion winner on January 22, 2021. The ticket was sold in Michigan.

3 – The $1.025 million was won by a single ticket in Michigan on January 22, 2021.

4 – The March 30, 2012 drawing resulted in three winning tickets, one in Kansas, one in Illinois and one in Maryland.

5 – The jackpot this time was $648 million dollars, in the drawing held on December 17, 2013. There were two winners, one in California and one in Georgia.

6 – There was a single winner of the $543 million this time around, in the drawing held on July 24, 2018, and it was a California resident.

7 – There was also a single winner of the lottery jackpot and he walked away with $536 million dollars, on August 7, 2016.

8 – The lucky winner was a New Jersey resident who walked away with $533 million on March 30, 2018.

9 – The June 7, 2019 drawing went to a California resident, who matched all six numbers and could take home $522 million.