Maryland Players Dream Of $543M Mega Millions Jackpot

BALTIMORE, MD — The jackpot for Friday’s Mega Millions drawing has topped half a billion dollars, and the current Mega Millions jackpot roll has already produced several big wins here in Maryland, say state lottery officials.

The last Mega Millions jackpot win was on July 24, when 11 co-workers in California shared a $543 million prize, according to a lottery news release. The 22 drawings since then have produced 421,716 winning tickets in Maryland across the game’s nine prize levels. Included in that total is a $1 million second-prize ticket from the Aug. 10 drawing, which was purchased at Lee’s Market at 4310 Hawthorne Road in Indian Head. It was claimed by an anonymous Charles County resident.

“A historic jackpot of this size has a way of capturing everyone’s attention,” said Gordon Medenica, director of Maryland Lottery and Gaming, in a press release. “We’re in the fun and games business, and who wouldn’t have fun thinking about a half billion dollars? We know our players love it.”

The estimated value for the Friday, Oct. 12, drawing is $548 million (before taxes), the third-largest in Mega Millions’ 16-year history and the ninth-largest in U.S. lottery jackpot history. The estimated cash value before taxes is $309 million.

Three Marylanders shared in the all-time record Mega Millions jackpot of $656 million in 2012. “The Three Amigos” had one of three winning tickets for that March 30, 2012 drawing. The other two were sold in Kansas and Illinois.

In addition to the $1 million winner in August, the current Mega Millions jackpot roll has produced 10 Maryland winners of the $10,000 third prize, five of whom have not yet claimed their prizes. Winning draw game tickets must be claimed within 182 days of the drawing date. Those five unclaimed $10,000 tickets were purchased at the following retailers:

• South Potomac Shell gas station at 9100 Livingston Road in Fort Washington for the Sept. 14 drawing;
• Grape & Grain Wine & Spirits at 4299 Ebenezer Road in Perry Hall; and Shore Stop at 201 Romancoke Road in Stevensville for the Oct. 5 drawing;
• The Citgo gas station at 7237 Ritchie Highway in Glen Burnie; and Boarman’s Meat Market at 13402 Clarksville Pike (Route 108) in Highland (Howard County) for the Oct. 9 for the drawing.

The $10,000-winning Mega Millions tickets sold during the current jackpot roll that have been claimed were purchased at these retailers:

• Shop Rite of Howard Park at 4601 Liberty Heights Avenue in Baltimore for the Aug. 3drawing;
• Golden Ring Liquors at 8651 Philadelphia Road in Rosedale for the Aug. 10 drawing;
• Pantry 1 Food Mart at 1090 Spa Road in Annapolis for the Aug. 17 drawing;
• Hillside Liquors and Deli at 2640 Centerville Road in Centerville for the Aug. 28drawing; and
• Aspen Hill Lottery, Beer & Wine at 13745 Connecticut Avenue in Silver Spring for the Sept. 28 drawing.

Mega Millions tickets are sold in 44 states plus Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are held at 11 p.m. Tuesdays and Fridays in Atlanta, and are televised in Maryland on WBAL-TV. Videos of the drawings are also available at megamillions.com.

Since its inception in 1973, the Maryland Lottery has awarded more than $25.6 billion in prizes to players and more than $16 billion in revenue to the State of Maryland to support education, public safety and health, human resources and the environment. For more information, go to mdlottery.com. For confidential help or information about gambling problems, visit mdgamblinghelp.org or call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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