Historic Mega Millions Win in Georgia
A Georgia lottery player has claimed an unprecedented $983 million Mega Millions jackpot, marking a record high for the state.
The winner, who chose to remain anonymous, came forward on January 2 and opted for the pre-tax cash amount of $453.6 million, as noted by lottery officials.
This person was the sole ticket holder to match all six numbers drawn on November 14, 2025. The winning numbers were 1, 8, 11, 12, 57, and the Mega Ball was 7.
Interestingly, this new millionaire had been playing the lottery regularly and felt motivated to purchase a ticket after seeing an advertisement highlighting the life-changing prize.
According to reports, the winner’s intention is to create a lasting legacy, planning to use the newfound wealth to support a “good cause.”
Lottery officials remarked that the player expressed gratitude for the opportunity to donate to worthy causes.
Those who buy lottery tickets often do so partly because the proceeds benefit programs like Pre-K and the HOPE Scholarship, which one of their family members had benefited from in the past.
The ticket that won was purchased from Publix Supermarket at Arbor Springs Plaza in Newnan, which will receive a $50,000 retailer incentive bonus as a result.
Georgia Lottery Corporation President and CEO, Gretchen Corbin, stated, “We are excited to celebrate Georgia’s record-breaking jackpot winners and this life-altering beginning to their year. This monumental jackpot also plays an important role for Georgia students and communities through HOPE and Pre-K funding. We congratulate the winners and appreciate the support from our players and retail partners during this thrilling jackpot experience.”
The drawing in November was the eighth-largest jackpot in Mega Millions history and the highest ever won in Georgia.
Notably, there were 39 consecutive drawings without a jackpot winner, the longest streak in Mega Millions history, coinciding with a restructuring of the game that increased the ticket price and aimed to boost jackpots.
The revamped game promised larger prizes and better odds of winning, with the starting jackpot increased to $50 million from $20 million. As it stands, the odds of winning the newly structured jackpot are approximately 1 in 290,472,336.
Prior to this win, Georgia’s largest lottery win was a $478 million Powerball jackpot from October 23, 2024.
The Mega Millions jackpot is now set at $180 million for the upcoming Tuesday drawing, with the winning numbers of 9, 39, 47, 58, 68, and Mega Ball 24.
