Online lottery player claims $536 million Mega Millions prize

An Illinois Lottery player has come forward to claim last week's Mega Millions prize of $536 million.

The winning ticket was purchased online and matched all five numbers and the Mega Ball in the Tuesday, March 10 drawing. 

The winning numbers were 16, 21, 30, 35, 65, and Mega Ball 7.

The winner, nicknamed "Lucky Lady," said that when she decided to play again for the drawing, she selected a quick pick and reshuffled the numbers multiple times before settling on a set that included her favorite number of 16.

"I didn't even plan to play that day—I had actually tried to buy a ticket online a week earlier, but I forgot to finalize the purchase," the winner said. "I even joked with my boss that day, saying, 'It wasn't meant to go through.'"

Lottery officials said the win is the first Mega Millions jackpot to be claimed this year, and the second-largest prize ever won by an online player in the United States. The current record remains at $552 million, which was set in June 2024.

Even after receiving notifications on the win through email and the lottery app, she said she was still in disbelief.

"I couldn't believe it. I was shaking and telling myself, 'This can't be real,'" she said. "I had my daughter call one of the claim centers to confirm, but it still feels unreal."

She said she dreamt of buying her family a home and a pool, which both can be a reality following her big win. She said she's planning a family meeting to discuss maybe a cruise or a trip to Las Vegas.

The next drawing for Friday, March 20, is worth $50 million.

Mega Millions is played every Tuesday and Friday night. Tickets are $5 each and include a randomly assigned multiplier that improves all winning non-jackpot prizes by 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X, or 10X. 

Players must be 18 years of age to participate.