An unlucky lottery player narrowly missed out on the opportunity to pocket more than $350 million.
The unknown individual lost this colossal amount by just one number.
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Although the player lost the opportunity to become a multimillionaire overnight, he still won a considerable amount.
The Mega Millions ticket went on sale in Washington last week, according to The News Tribune.
You matched five winning numbers – but not the Mega Ball – in the draw on Friday, August 2nd.
The player won $1 million, losing a whopping sum of $358 million.
The identity of this lucky winner, however, is not yet known.
Washington Lottery officials warned players to check their tickets in case the winnings are theirs.
The winning numbers were 6, 7, 24, 44 and 54 – the Mega Ball was 13.
No one won the $358 million grand prize in Friday’s drawing.
The jackpot has now increased to around $374 million for the next draw tonight, August 6th.
According to the Mega Millions website, the cash option for this amount could be around US$184 million.
The Mega Millions jackpot has gone unclaimed since an Illinois player won the $557 million prize on June 4.
Washington’s $1 million cash prize wasn’t the only winning ticket in the state.
More than 15,000 other tickets won prizes ranging from $2 to $10,000 in Friday’s drawing in Washington.
MEGA MILLIONS
For a player to win the jackpot in Mega Millions, they must match all five white balls and the gold Mega Ball.
Tickets cost R$2 and can still be purchased on the day of the draw.
Top US Lottery Winners
Millions dream of winning the lottery and finding fame and fortune. These are the biggest winners in US lottery history.
- Edwin Castro – $2.04 billion, Powerball, November 8, 2022, in California.
- Theodorus Struyck – $1.765 billion, Powerball, October 11, 2023, California.
- Unknown Winner – $1.602 Billion, Mega Millions, August 8, 2023, Florida.
- Marvin and Mae Acosta of Los Angeles, California, John and Lisa Robinson of Munford, Tennessee, and Maureen Smith and David Kaltschmidt of Melbourne Beach, Florida – $1.586 billion, Powerball, January 13, 2016.
- Unknown Winner – $1.537 Billion, Mega Millions, October 23, 2018, from South Carolina.
- Winner unknown – he sued his child’s mother to keep his identity hidden – $1.348 billion, Mega Millions, January 13, 2023, from Maine.
- Unknown Winner – $1.337 Billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022, from Illinois.
- Cheng and Duanpen Saephan and Laiza Liem Chao – $1.326 billion, Powerball, April 7, 2024, from Oregon.
- Yanira Álvarez – $1.08 billion Powerball, July 19, 2023 in California.
- Wolverine FLL Lottery Club – $1.05 Billion, Mega Millions, January 22, 2021, from Michigan.
- Winner unknown – $842.4 million Powerball, January 1, 2024, from Michigan.
These take place every Tuesday and Friday night.
The odds of winning a jackpot prize are 1 in over 300 million.
OTHER EARNINGS
This isn’t the first time a player has come within one number of winning the jackpot.
A gambler in San Francisco came close to winning $154 million last month, but lost by just one number.
Fortunately, the player still won almost $1 million in the July 31st draw.
Lottery winnings: lump sum or annual fee?
Players who win big on lottery tickets typically have a choice to make: lump sum or annual fee?
Both payment methods can affect how much money you receive from your prize.
Annuities are paid slowly in increments, usually over 30 years.
Lump sums are paid all at once, but in smaller amounts since taxes are withheld all at once. This means 24% of your prize goes to Uncle Sam immediately. Many states also tax earnings.
Annuities can give winners time to establish the financial infrastructure necessary to receive a life-changing amount of money, but lump sums have the advantage of being taxed only once.
It’s also worth considering inflation when making a choice, as payments don’t adjust to the value of a dollar. This means you will likely receive less valuable money at the end of an annuity.
Each state and game pays prizes differently, so it’s best to check with your state’s lottery to confirm payment policies. A financial advisor can also help you weigh the pros and cons of each option.
Experts have differing opinions on the possibility of get the lump sum or take the annual fee.
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This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
