A Mega Millions playslip for those players preferring to choose the numbers they want to play is among the stacks of other lottery game playslips on display at a Smoker Friendly store, Friday, Jan. 22, 2021, in Cranberry Township, Pa. (AP Photo/Keith Srakocic)
By Ed White
Someone in Michigan bought the winning ticket for the $1.05 billion Mega Millions jackpot, which is the third-largest lottery prize in U.S. history.
The winning numbers for Friday night’s drawing were 4, 26, 42, 50, and 60, with a Mega Ball of 24. The winning ticket was purchased at a Kroger store in the Detroit suburb of Novi, the Michigan Lottery said.
“Someone in Michigan woke up to life-changing news this morning, and Kroger Michigan congratulates the newest Michigan multimillionaire,” said Rachel Hurst, a regional spokeswoman for the grocery chain. She declined to comment further.
The Mega Millions top prize had been growing since Sept. 15, when a winning ticket was sold in Wisconsin. The lottery's next estimated jackpot is $20 million.
Friday night's drawing came just two days after a ticket sold in Maryland matched all six numbers drawn and won a $731.1 million Powerball jackpot.
The jackpot figures refer to amounts if a winner opts for an annuity, paid in 30 annual installments. Most winners choose a cash prize, which for the Mega Millions game would be $776.6 million before taxes and $557 million after taxes, Michigan Lottery spokesman Jake Harris said.
“No way!” Ryan Gabrielli told The Detroit News after shopping Saturday at the lucky Kroger. “We meant to play the lottery but forgot to.”
Harris said the ticket holder should sign the back and keep it in a safe place.
“I wouldn't be surprised if the winning ticket holder held onto that ticket for a little bit, got their affairs in order, put together a financial plan, and then reached out to contact us,” he said.
Only two lottery prizes in the U.S. have been larger than Friday's jackpot. Three tickets for a $1.586 billion Powerball jackpot were sold in January 2016, and one winning ticket sold for a $1.537 billion Mega Millions jackpot in October 2018.
In Grosse Ile, a suburb south of Detroit, 126 people bought more than 600 tickets for the Friday drawing but didn't win the jackpot. They hoped to win enough money to replace a publicly owned bridge on their island in the Detroit River that has been closed indefinitely for major repairs. The only other transportation option for the island's 10,000 residents is a privately owned toll bridge.
“We used this to lift our spirits and dream a little bit,” said organizer Kyle de Beausset. “Of course we're open to any help with the bridge, but I can't imagine the winner would want to finance it.”
The odds of winning a Mega Millions jackpot were incredibly steep, at one in 302.5 million.
The game is played in 45 states as well as Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
___
Associated Press writer Julie Walker in New York City contributed to this report.
Less than 30% of consumers will apply for a store credit card this holiday season according to a recent LendingTree survey. Matt Schulz, Chief Credit Analyst at LendingTree, joins Cheddar to discuss the pros and cons to store credit cards, and how 'buy now, pay later' loans are coming into play during the holiday shopping season.
Elliot Wolf, EVP of Digital at Wolf Entertainment, and Ben Arnon CRO at Curio, join Cheddar News to discuss the new NFT project called the Wolf Society.
Darnell M. Hunt, Dean of Social Sciences at UCLA an co-author of UCLA's Hollywood Diversity Report, joins Cheddar News to discuss how the latest report reveals TV content from diverse writers and with diverse casts resonated with pandemic audiences.
Tony award-winning actress Anika Noni Rose joined Cheddar's "Between Bells" to discuss the upcoming third season of the podcast, Being Seen. As Rose's first time hosting the series, she explained that it was important for her to do so to offer a unique perspective potentially with the power to change narratives. "We have the ability in our media and our entertainment to change the space in which Black women are seen, to change the narrative of the strong Black woman, and to show a more humanistic view of Black women and Black femmes that will bring people to an understanding and a connection that maybe they didn't otherwise have," she said. Rose also touched on her role in the Netflix series "Maid."
Paid family & medical leave is left out of President Joe Biden's Build Back Better domestic policy plan. Abby Vesoulis, reporter for TIME joins Cheddar News to breakdown what this means for Americans.
Oatly Chief Sustainability Officer, Ashley Allen joins Cheddar News to talk about food waste and hows its been left off the table in the upcoming COP26 agenda. Ashley will be on the ground at COP26 and advocating for this conversation to get the attention it deserves.
Carlo's flying solo today, talking COP26 and climate change, another racially charged trial gets underway, SCOTUS takes on abortion and a stunning rise in traffic deaths points to a bigger societal breakdown sparked by the pandemic.
Apple reported strong fourth quarter earnings, but sales fell below expectations. CEO Tim Cook said chip shortages and manufacturing delays cost the company $6 billion. The issues have led to the newly-launched iPhone 13 Pro being in short supply around the world, as well as to back orders for Apple's new Macbook Pro. Exponential Investment Partners Managing Partner Kevin Riley joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Electric bike company Dance recently raised $19.4 million, just weeks after rolling out its e-bike subscription service in Berlin. Dance allows users to subscribe to use an e-bike for around €79, or about $91, a month. Dance says its subscription model allows the company to reuse and refurbish its products, and further its mission to build more sustainable and livable cities. Dance founder and CEO Eric Quidenus-Wahlforss joined Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
