Mega Millions player agonizingly misses out on jackpot by 1 number but still gets $1m – officials issue urgent appeal

A lottery player has missed out on pocketing over $350 million but still managed to grab the second-place prize of $1 million.

The winner, whose name has not been released, lost this whopping sum by just one number.

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Although the player missed out on becoming a multi-millionaire overnight, they still won a hefty sum.

The Mega Millions ticket was sold in Washington state last week, according to The News Tribune .

It matched five winning numbers – but not the Mega Ball – in the drawing on Friday.

The player won $1 million, missing out on the huge sum of $358 million.

Washington Lottery Officials have warned players to check their tickets in case the winnings are theirs.

The winning numbers were 6, 7, 24, 44, and 54 – the Mega Ball was 13.

No one won the grand prize of $358 million in the Friday drawing.

The jackpot has risen to an estimated $374 million for the next drawing on Tuesday.

Mega Million drawings are held twice a week on Tuesday and Friday evenings

According to the Mega Millions site, the cash option for this sum could be around $184 million.

The Mega Millions jackpot has been unclaimed since an Illinois player won the $557 million prize on June 4.

The $1 million prize money in Washington was not the only winning ticket in the state.

More than 15,000 other tickets won prizes ranging from $2 to $10,000 in the Friday drawing in Washington.

Top lottery winners in the US

Millions dream of winning the lottery and finding fame and fortune. These are the biggest winners in US lottery history.

• Edwin Castro – $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 8, 2022, in California.
• Theodorus Struyck – $1.765 billion, Powerball, Oct. 11, 2023, in California.
• Unknown winner – $1.602 billion, Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023, in Florida.
• Marvin and Mae Acosta from Los Angeles, California, John and Lisa Robinson from Munford, Tennessee, and Maureen Smith and David Kaltschmidt from Melbourne Beach, Florida – $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016.
• Unknown winner – $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018, from South Carolina.
• Unknown winner – he sued the mother of his child to keep his identity hidden – $1.348 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023, from Maine.
• Unknown winner – $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022, from Illinois.
• Cheng and Duanpen Saephan , and Laiza Liem Chao – $1.326 billion, Powerball, April 7, 2024, from Oregon.
• Yanira Alvarez – $1.08 billion Powerball, July 19, 2023 in California.
• Wolverine FLL Lottery Club – $1.05 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 22, 2021, from Michigan.
• Unknown winner – $842.4 million Powerball, Jan. 1, 2024, from Michigan.

For a player to win the jackpot in Mega Millions, they must match all five white balls and the gold Mega Ball.

Tickets cost $2 and can still be bought on the day of the drawing.

The odds of scoring a jackpot prize are 1 in over 300 million.

This is not the first time a player has fallen one number short of winning the jackpot.

A player in San Francisco came close to winning $154 million last month but missed out by just one number.

The player still won almost $1 million from the drawing on July 31.

Lottery winnings: lump sum or annuity?

Players who win big on lottery tickets typically have a choice to make: lump sum or annuity?

The two payout methods can impact how much money you get from your prize.

Annuities pay out slowly in increments, often over 30 years.

Lump sums pay all at once but in a smaller amount, as taxes are withheld in one go. That means 24% of your prize goes to Uncle Sam right away. Many states tax winnings as well.

Annuities can provide winners time to set up the financial infrastructure required to take in a life-changing amount of money, but lump sums have the benefit of being taxed only once.

Inflation is also worth considering when making a choice, as payouts do not adjust with the value of a dollar. That means that you’ll likely be getting less valuable money towards the end of an annuity.

Each state and game pays out prizes differently, so it’s best to check with your state’s lottery to confirm payment policies. A financial advisor can also help you weigh the pros and cons of each option.

Experts have varying opinions on whether to take the lump sum or take the annuity .