Mega Millions: Winning Mega Millions ticket sold in VirginiaUpdated: February 21, 2004, 10:57 am
Updated: February 21, 2004, 1:14 pm
Tickets sold by the hundreds of thousands for the Mega Millions jackpot as would-be millionaires around the country bought chances to win a $230 million jackpot -- the largest in that lottery's history.
The 11-state jackpot led to higher ticket sales, despite the bleak odds of winning Friday -- one in 135,145,920, according to the Mega Millions Web site.
But someone who bought a ticket in Stephens City, Virginia managed to beat the odds to become the sole winner of the jackpot, according to the game's Web site.
The jackpot was the only topic of conversation at the convenience store where the ticket was sold, the Red Apple Shell station.
"Oh my gosh, you don't know how excited we are, and we didn't even win the ticket," said Dangie Robinson, a clerk at the station
She said the store was abuzz Saturday morning with news that the winning ticket was sold there and excited at the prospect of receiving money from lottery officials. Virginia Lottery Director Penelope Kyle said store owner Harry Simpson would receive $25,000.
56 tickets matched 5 numbers to win $175,000. Those tickets were distributed among the Mega Millions states as follows:
- 8 in New Jersey,
- 3 in Georgia,
- 5 in Illinois,
- 4 in Maryland,
- 3 in Michigan,
- 18 in New York,
- 7 in Ohio,
- 6 in Texas, and,
- 2 in Virginia.
The numbers drawn Friday night were: 1-13-20-21-30, and the Mega Ball was 24.
By midafternoon Friday, ticket sales in New Jersey had reached 500,000 per hour, said Virginia Bauer, executive director of the state lottery.
Lorine Clark of Hillside, Ill., bought tickets for herself and several co-workers Friday afternoon. Clark, who won $500 playing the lottery about 10 years ago, said she believes her chances for the jackpot are good.
"Of course I'm going to win. You have to think that way," she said. "If you believe it, hopefully it will come true."
In Georgia, more than $1 million in Mega Millions tickets were sold Friday before noon, said J.B. Landroche, spokesman for the Georgia Lottery.
In Ohio, 12,722 tickets were being sold each minute, said Mardele Cohen, spokeswoman for the Ohio Lottery.
States participating in the game are Georgia, Virginia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Texas and Washington.
Dean Cox / AP
Emcee Yolanda Vega rehearses for the drawing of the Mega Millions lottery at ABC studios in New York on Friday. The payout of at least $230 million is the highest jackpot in the lottery's two-year history.
