Why does California win Mega Millions so much and where does NJ rank?

A few days after a massive, billion-dollar lottery was claimed of a New Jersey player, there’s another Mega Millions billionaire … in California.

The $1.22 billion jackpot-winning ticket in Friday’s drawing was sold in Northern California, about two hours above Sacramento. The winner has not yet emerged.

The big win comes just a week after someone finally claimed the $1.13 billion jackpot from a March drawing. The winning ticket, the last billion dollar prize, was sold in New Jersey.

So where does the Garden State rank on all-time lottery winnings and why does California always seem to be the winner.

California has an undeniable knack for winning the lottery, boasting 37 Mega Millions jackpots — the second most in the nation, behind only New York’s 44 wins. according to Mega Millions data.

The state’s massive population of nearly 40 million people and high ticket sales give it an advantage, especially when jackpots approach 10 figures and more casual players buy tickets.

However, New Jersey has its own impressive record of victories.

The Garden State has 26 Mega Millions jackpots, which is third in the nation. And New Jersey players have claimed some of the game’s biggest prizes, including March’s $1.13 billion win and a $533 million jackpot in 2018.

It’s not just Mega Millions; New Jersey has also claimed 12 Powerball jackpotsthat links it to Kansas and New York.

Of course, those numbers pale in comparison to the top three jackpot wins for Powerball. Indiana leads with 39 wins, followed by Missouri with 31 wins and Minnesota with 22 wins.

New Jersey last won the Powerball in June, when an anonymous player collected $222 million.

This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: California Wins Mega Millions … Again; where New Jersey ranks