Virginia (BN24) – A Mega Millions ticket purchased in Virginia has delivered a historic windfall, awarding one lucky player a record-breaking $348 million jackpot in Friday night’s drawing and ending a stretch of 20 consecutive drawings without a top prize winner.
Virginia Lottery officials confirmed the winning ticket was sold at the E & C VA convenience store in Burgess, a small community about 85 miles northeast of Richmond. The prize marks the largest Mega Millions jackpot ever claimed in Virginia since the multi-state game launched in 2002.
The winning numbers were 18, 21, 29, 42 and 50, with the gold Mega Ball 2. The jackpot winner has the option to take the full $348 million in annual payments spread over 30 years or choose a one-time lump sum cash payout, which is estimated at $155.5 million before taxes.
The victor, who has not yet been publicly identified, will have 180 days to step forward and claim the prize.
The previous state record belonged to retired truck driver JR Triplett, who scored a $239 million Mega Millions jackpot in 2004. Triplett opted for the cash payment, collecting about $140 million before taxes.
Friday’s win is the fourth Mega Millions jackpot awarded in 2025 and the second under the game’s revamped rules, which took effect on April 8. Under the new format, ticket prices rose from $2 to $5, and the minimum jackpot increased from $20 million to $50 million. The changes were designed to boost non-jackpot prizes and improve the odds of hitting the grand prize.
Since Mega Millions’ inception, Virginia has now produced 10 jackpot winners. The most recent was Kevin Young of Bristow, who in 2016 matched all six numbers and split a $15 million jackpot with Christina Ford of Dallas, Georgia.
Earlier this year, a $112 million prize under the updated game was claimed by the Ironwood Family Trust in South Euclid, Oregon. Two other jackpots were awarded from tickets purchased under the prior format, including a $112 million win in Tempe, Arizona, and a $349 million payout in Cortland, Illinois.
While this latest Virginia win stands out in 2025, it still falls short of some of Mega Millions’ historic prizes. In December 2024, California resident Rosemary Casarotti claimed a $1.269 billion jackpot, the largest in 2024 and the fifth biggest in the game’s history.
