North Carolinians won big in Friday’s Mega Millions drawing with 12 tickets winning $10,000, two Megaplier tickets winning $20,000, and two tickets winning $1 million.
The two $1 million tickets matched all five white balls in the drawing. One was sold in Charlotte at the Adam’s Mart on Elm Lane and the other in Mooresville at the Shop N Save on the Mecklenburg Highway. The $1 million wins in North Carolina were two of 26 nationally in the drawing.
“Congratulation to all the big winners,” said Mark Michalko, executive director of the N.C. Education Lottery. “This huge Mega Millions jackpot created a lot of fun. Every ticket sold in North Carolina helped to raise more money for education this year.”
A single ticket sold in Illinois won the jackpot of $1.33 billion. The winner can claim the prize as an annuity or take a cash prize of $780.5 million cash. Friday’s jackpot ranked as the second largest in the history of the Mega Millions game and the third largest in U.S. history. The $1.58 billion Powerball jackpot in January 2016 remains the largest jackpot ever. The Mega Millions jackpot will reset to a $20 million annuity, or $11.6 million cash, for Tuesday’s drawing.
Friday night’s winners have 180 days to claim their prizes.