By Kate Northrop
After a run of 29 drawings without a jackpot winner, the 30th drawing of the multi-state Mega Millions lottery game produced a single $431 million winner last night when one ticket sold in New York matched all five numbers plus the Mega Ball.
The winner will now have to choose between being paid $431 million in 30 annually-increasing payments over 29 years or the lump-sum estimated cash value of $314.4 million.
According to USA Mega's Mega Millions Jackpot Analysis, after all federal and New York state taxes are paid, the winner either will receive $225.6 million by the end of 29 years, or $163.8 million in cash all at once. The extra-large amount of taxes that will be deducted from the winner's payout are the result of New York's new top income tax rate of 10.9% that went into effect Jan. 1, 2021.
The massive Mega Millions haul is the 26th-largest lottery jackpot of all time in the United States, and the 22nd-largest cash value ever awarded. (See full top-25 list below.) It is also the 12th-largest jackpot win in Mega Millions history.
The lone winning ticket was sold at Pronto Pizza at 62 West 48th Street in New York City.
It's the second Mega Millions jackpot won in New York this year since a $96 million prize was won by a couple from Oneida County on February 16.
The Mega Millions winning numbers for Tuesday, September 21, 2021, were 36, 41, 45, 51, and 56, with Mega Ball number 13. The Megaplier was 3.
Fortunately, even if you didn't win the jackpot, the Mega Millions game still offers another 8 ways to win lower-tier prizes. One player from Connecticut won a second prize of $1 million by matching the first five numbers minus the Mega Ball.
25 tickets matched four white numbers plus the Mega Ball and won $10,000. Of those tickets, six were purchased with the Megaplier option, increasing the prize to $30,000 and two of the tickets were purchased in California with a prize amount of $18,952 each.
In total, more than 1.06 million tickets won prizes across the game's nine prize tiers in Tuesday's drawing.
A complete list of payouts for all prizes and the official drawing video can be found at USA Mega's Mega Millions Drawing Information page, as well as at Lottery Post's Mega Millions Prize Payouts page.
The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 302.6 million.
With the jackpot being won Tuesday, the next Mega Millions annuity jackpot estimate for the drawing on Friday, September 24 is reset to its starting point of $20 million.
Mega Millions is currently offered for sale in 45 states, plus Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are Tuesdays and Fridays at 11:00 pm Eastern Time. Tickets cost $2 each.
A drawing for a $490 million Powerball jackpot is set to take place tonight at 10:59 pm Eastern Time. It is currently the 19th-largest jackpot of all time in the United States and the 10th-largest in Powerball history.
So far, there have been 35 consecutive Powerball drawings without a jackpot winner. A $285.6 million Powerball jackpot was won on June 5, 2021 by one winner in Jacksonville, Florida.
The Mega Millions and Powerball winning numbers are published at USA Mega (www.usamega.com) minutes after the drawing takes place.
Top 25 United States lottery jackpots of all time
The following list shows the top 25 United States lottery jackpots of all time. The $431 million Mega Millions jackpot won last night ranks as the 26th-largest United States lottery jackpot in history.
- Powerball: $1.5864 billion, Jan. 13, 2016 (19 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - California, Florida, Tennessee
- Mega Millions: $1.537 billion, Oct. 23, 2018 (25 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - South Carolina
- Mega Millions: $1.05 billion, Jan. 22, 2021 (36 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Michigan
- Powerball: $768.4 million, Mar. 27, 2019 (25 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Wisconsin
- Powerball: $758.7 million, Aug. 23, 2017 (20 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Massachusetts
- Powerball: $731.1 million, Jan. 20, 2021 (35 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Maryland
- Powerball: $687.8 million, Oct. 27, 2018 (21 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Iowa, New York
- Mega Millions: $656 million, Mar. 30, 2012 (18 rollovers, starting at $12 million) - Illinois, Kansas, Maryland
- Mega Millions: $636 million, Dec. 17, 2013 (21 rollovers, starting at $12 million) - California, Georgia
- Powerball: $590.5 million, May 18, 2013 (13 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Florida
- Powerball: $587.5 million, Nov. 28, 2012 (15 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Arizona, Missouri
- Powerball: $564.1 million, Feb. 11, 2015 (20 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Texas
- Powerball: $559.7 million, Jan. 6, 2018 (20 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - New Hampshire
- Mega Millions: $543 million, Jul. 24, 2018 (22 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - California
- Mega Millions: $536 million, Jul. 8, 2016 (34 rollovers, starting at $15 million) - Indiana
- Mega Millions: $533 million, Mar. 30, 2018 (23 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - New Jersey
- Mega Millions: $522 million, Jun. 7, 2019 (24 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - California
- Mega Millions: $516 million, May 21, 2021 (26 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Pennsylvania
- Powerball: $490 million, Sep. 22, 2021 (35 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Preliminary estimate, not won yet
- Powerball: $487 million, Jul. 30, 2016 (23 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - New Hampshire
- Powerball: $456.7 million, Mar. 17, 2018 (19 rollovers, starting at $15 million) - Pennsylvania
- Mega Millions: $451 million, Jan. 5, 2018 (23 rollovers, starting at $15 million) - Florida
- Powerball: $448.4 million, Aug. 7, 2013 (12 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Minnesota, New Jersey (2)
- Powerball: $447.8 million, Jun. 10, 2017 (19 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - California
- Powerball: $435.3 million, Feb. 22, 2017 (18 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Indiana
- Mega Millions: $431 million, Sep. 21, 2021 (29 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - New York
For those keeping score, the number of jackpots in the top 25, by lottery game, are:
- Powerball: 15
- Mega Millions: 10
Top 25 cash value jackpots
Since many lottery winners collect their winnings in cash, the lump-sum payout is an important measure of what a winning ticket could be worth.
The Mega Millions jackpot won last night ranks as the 22nd-largest cash value of all time.
- Powerball: $983.5 million cash, Jan. 13, 2016 ($1.5864 billion annuity) - California, Florida, Tennessee
- Mega Millions: $877.8 million cash, Oct. 23, 2018 ($1.537 billion annuity) - South Carolina
- Mega Millions: $776.6 million cash, Jan. 22, 2021 ($1.05 billion annuity) - Michigan
- Powerball: $546.8 million cash, Jan. 20, 2021 ($731.1 million annuity) - Maryland
- Powerball: $480.5 million cash, Aug. 23, 2017 ($758.7 million annuity) - Massachusetts
- Powerball: $476.9 million cash, Mar. 27, 2019 ($768.4 million annuity) - Wisconsin
- Mega Millions: $471 million cash, Mar. 30, 2012 ($656 million annuity) - Illinois, Kansas, Maryland
- Powerball: $396.2 million cash, Oct. 27, 2018 ($687.8 million annuity) - Iowa, New York
- Powerball: $384.7 million cash, Nov. 28, 2012 ($587.5 million annuity) - Arizona, Missouri
- Powerball: $381.1 million cash, Feb. 11, 2015 ($564.1 million annuity) - North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Texas
- Mega Millions: $378 million cash, Jul. 8, 2016 ($536 million annuity) - Indiana
- Powerball: $370.9 million cash, May 18, 2013 ($590.5 million annuity) - Florida
- Powerball: $355.1 million cash, Sep. 22, 2021 ($490 million annuity) - Preliminary estimate, not won yet
- Powerball: $352 million cash, Jan. 6, 2018 ($559.7 million annuity) - New Hampshire
- Mega Millions: $347.6 million cash, Dec. 17, 2013 ($636 million annuity) - California, Georgia
- Mega Millions: $349.3 million cash, May 21, 2021 ($516 million annuity) - Pennsylvania
- Mega Millions: $340 million cash, Jun. 7, 2019 ($522 million annuity) - California
- Powerball: $336.8 million cash, Jul. 30, 2016 ($487 million annuity) - New Hampshire
- Mega Millions: $324 million cash, Mar. 30, 2018 ($533 million annuity) - New Jersey
- Mega Millions: $320.5 million cash, Jul. 24, 2018 ($543 million annuity) - California
- Mega Millions: $319.9 million cash, Jun. 9, 2020 ($414 million annuity) - Arizona
- Mega Millions: $314.4 million cash, Sep. 21, 2021 ($431 million annuity) - New York
- Powerball: $284 million cash, May 7, 2016 ($429.6 million annuity) - New Jersey
- Mega Millions: $281.9 million cash, Jan. 5, 2018 ($451 million annuity) - Florida
- Powerball: $279.1 million cash, Jun. 10, 2017 ($447.8 million annuity) - California
The number of cash value jackpots in the top 25, by lottery game, are:
- Powerball: 13
- Mega Millions: 12
congrats!
So, only 1 person, with ALL th e cash being won like that. Congrats.
This is why pops say rigged, and i am glad i sat it out LOL
Why not 10 individual(s) to win at one time i.e., "all 5 numbers" = a COOL MILL $ for each, why not?Would be nice if more win at one time, in multiple states.
Then, we can have even more win Mega with at least " 4 numbers with the MB or PB.
That's why dad say rigged and not to play LOL
but i am still happy for the 1 man. (or woman.) Bye for now.
One Jackpot has now been Won!
One Jackpot remains to be Won!
Congrats to the lucky winner(s).....Have a wonder life without drama & chaos
Congratulations!!!! Most of the big winners are only in some part of New York,Texas, Florida,California,
Congratulations to the lucky New Yorker. Thanks to LP i am reminded that this is the 5 year anniversary of the Massachusetts couple who managed to scam a guy out of $6,000 claiming he had to pay taxes on a lottery win, even thou he had not won any money. This is an exciting week for lottery players. Be careful, scammers never sleep.
Congrats to the Lucky winner, enjoy.
CB$CJ,
Ever consider population?
Michigan and Georgia have won more thanT exas;v
ttps://blog.jackpocket.com/which-states-have-won-mega-millions-jackpots/
a little more info;
Here are the states with the most Mega Millions jackpot winners - ABC News (go.com)
Congrats 2 the winner & may the years ahead be less bumpy
Being from NYC, they're gonna have hell taxed out of them! LOL
Was it by quick pick or own numbers?
Betcha they won't miss it. Too much. lol
Congratulations to the lucky winner! I hope you enjoy your winnings with your loved ones!🥂😁
We literally live in the richest planet in the universe.
NYC streets are paved with diamonds and gold btw. Lol
I hope the winner will have to option to remain anonymous, otherwise he will be inundated with requests for help.