There’s another Mega Millions jackpot winner, this time in Illinois.
Some lucky player bought a ticket in south suburbs Chicago that’s worth $56 million.
The ticket matched the five white numbers but the gold “Mega Ball” as well, claiming a progressive pot.
That prize hasn’t been claimed as of yet, but when that time comes, the fortunate person will join a number of big winners across the country who have already cashed in on their Mega Millions tickets in 2021.
Who won the latest Mega Millions jackpot?
The win came from a single-ticket purchase at the Citgo gas station in Crestwood.
The lucky numbers in the June 8 drawing were 9-22-39-41-54 with a Mega Ball of 19.
The Multi-State Lottery Corporation press release said that the cash payout of the prize would be $38 million, should the winner go that route. The owner of the ticket could instead opt for annuity payments, which would work out to a larger sum over the course of decades. The gas station also gets a portion of the winnings.
How to claim your lottery prize in Illinois
There are several things to consider when claiming your lottery prize in Illinois.
When dealing with gambling winnings of this size, it’s a best practice to consult with an attorney and financial professionals before doing anything else. When it comes to lottery wins, the best time to do that is prior to claiming the prize.
The Illinois Lottery also lets your claim your prize online.
Illinois law gives lottery winners plenty of time to make their claims, so there’s no reason to rush to do so. It’s best to have a solid plan for the money before accepting it. That goes for winners in other states as well.
When it comes to Mega Millions, there have been plenty of those already this year.
Big lottery wins popping up all over
Tuesday’s drawing was a spectacular result for players in other places, too.
One ticket purchased just across the Mississippi River in Iowa and another in West Virginia matched the five white numbers, triggering million-dollar prizes.
As far as progressive jackpot wins go, this is the fourth so far in 2021. It’s also the second in less than a month.
On May 21, a ticket sold in Pennsylvania matched all six numbers to claim a pot worth over half-a-billion dollars. In February, a couple from New York won a $96 million pot.
Of course, a few weeks into this year when a group in Michigan hit on all six numbers when the progressive prize sat at over a billion dollars on Jan. 22.
If this pace continues, it might not be long again before there’s a fifth winner of Mega Million’s top prize this year. If the ticket comes from an Illinois retailer or the Illinois online lottery, the Land of Lincoln might become the envy of the entire country.
Drawings for the Mega Millions are at 10 p.m. every Tuesday and Friday.
