Lottery player narrowly misses Mega Millions jackpot — but still wins big in California
A lucky lottery player was one number shy of winning the Mega Millions jackpot, but they still scored a big prize in California.
They won $2.9 million.
The winning ticket for the Tuesday, Dec. 12, drawing was bought at a 76 gas station in Los Angeles, according to the California Lottery.
The player matched the five white balls 8, 23, 44, 45, 53, but missed the gold Mega Ball 3.
At the time, the jackpot was $20 million.
Two players in California scored the $394 million Mega Millions jackpot prize during the Dec. 8 drawing, causing the jackpot to reset to its starting value.
Both winning tickets were purchased from a Chevron station in Encino, McClatchy News reported.
The next drawing will take place Friday, Dec. 15, with an estimated jackpot of $28 million.
What to know about Mega Millions
To score a jackpot in the Mega Millions, a player must match all five white balls and the gold Mega Ball.
The odds of scoring a jackpot prize are 1 in 302,575,350.
Tickets cost $2 and can be bought on the day of the drawing, but sales times vary by state.
Drawings are held Tuesdays and Fridays at 11 p.m. ET and can be streamed online.
Mega Millions is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
This story was originally published December 13, 2023 at 10:07 AM with the headline "Lottery player narrowly misses Mega Millions jackpot — but still wins big in California."
