Three winning Mega Millions tickets were sold in Georgia in the March 22 drawing, lottery officials said.

Three winning Mega Millions tickets were sold in Georgia in the March 22 drawing, lottery officials said.

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A near billion-dollar Mega Millions jackpot went unclaimed, but a few Georgia players still won big.

There were three $10,000 winners after each matched four white balls and the gold Mega Ball in the drawing Friday, March 22, according to Georgia Lottery officials.

The winning tickets were purchased at:

  • Shreeji Convenience Mart in Savannah
  • A BP gas station in Locust Grove
  • QuikTrip #0831 in Duluth

The winning numbers Friday were 3, 8, 31, 35, 44 and gold Mega Ball 16, according to the lottery game’s website. Players in California, Florida, Illinois, Nebraska and Texas narrowly missed the $977 million jackpot but each matched five white balls, results show.

There was a $3 million winner in Virginia who matched five white balls and the optional Megaplier (3x), results show. The lucky player normally would’ve won $1 million but spent an extra $1 on the Megaplier, tripling their prize.

The Mega Millions jackpot ballooned to an estimated $1.1 billion after no one hit the jackpot Friday.

It’s only the sixth time in less than six years that the jackpot has surpassed $1 billion and would be the fifth-largest prize in Mega Millions history if someone matches all six numbers, according to the lottery game’s website.

“Lottery fever continues to spread throughout the country,” Georgia Lottery president and CEO Gretchen Corbin, lead director of the Mega Millions Consortium, said in a news release. “Large jackpots provide entertainment and winnings for our players nationwide while contributing to the beneficiary programs funded by each lottery.”

The next Mega Millions drawing is Tuesday, March 26.

What to know about Mega Millions

To score a jackpot in the Mega Millions, a player must match all five white balls and the gold Mega Ball.

The odds of scoring a jackpot prize are 1 in 302,575,350.

Tickets cost $2 and can be bought on the day of the drawing, but sales times vary by state.

Drawings are held Tuesdays and Fridays at 11 p.m. ET and can be streamed online.

Mega Millions is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

This story was originally published March 25, 2024, 9:57 AM.

Tanasia is a national Real-Time reporter based in Atlanta covering news across Georgia, Mississippi and the Southeast. Her sub-beat is retail and consumer news. She’s an alumna of Kennesaw State University and joined McClatchy in 2020.

Tanasia Kenney

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