The winning ticket was sold for $1.22 billion in the lottery, Mega Millions says

ATLANTA (AP) — A Mega Millions player has plenty of dough to ring in the new year after drawing the winning number. After three months without anyone winning the top prize, a ticket worth an estimated $1.22 billion was sold in Friday night’s drawing.

The winner matched the white balls 3, 7, 37, 49, 55 and the gold Mega Ball 6. The identity of the winner was not immediately known.

The total amount of the Mega Millions jackpot will only be distributed to a winner who chooses an annuity paid out over 29 years. Almost all grand prize winners choose to receive a cash payout, which for Friday night’s drawing is an estimated $549.7 million.

Despite the game’s long odds of 1 in 302.6 million, players continued to buy tickets as the size of the top prize grew. Until Friday, the last time a Mega Millions player hit the top prize was on September 10.

The biggest ever The Mega Millions jackpot ticket worth $1.6 billion was sold in Florida in August 2023. Two prizes for its countryman Powerball lottery have been bigger.

Mega Millions and Powerball are sold in 45 statesas well as Washington, DC and the US Virgin Islands. Powerball is also sold in Puerto Rico.