California ticket wins $522 million Mega Millions jackpot

[July 25, 2018]    (Reuters) - At least one lottery fan will wake up significantly richer on Wednesday after they purchased the only winning U.S. Mega Millions ticket, worth $522 million, in Tuesday's draw.

A sign displays that the Mega Millions Lottery prize is estimated $522 million, before the drawing, at a newsstand in the Brooklyn borough of New York City, U.S., July 24, 2018. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid

The winning numbers of 1-2-4-19-29, plus a Powerball of 20, were worth the fifth largest payout in the game's history following 22 consecutive failed draws.

The only ticket to match all six numbers was sold in San Jose, California at Ernie's Liquors, the state's lottery said on Twitter. "I'm still digesting what happened," the 65-year-old store owner told the Mercury News newspaper.

The amount in the pot is based on sales in 44 states, the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands. It had been climbing steadily since May 8.

The winner can either take the entire $522 million in installments or an immediate lump sum of $308 million.

The largest Mega Millions lottery grand prize was $656 million, won in 2012. Three winning tickets were sold in Illinois, Kansas and Maryland.

The Powerball lottery holds the overall record with a $1.586 billion payout in 2016.

(Reporting by Makini Brice in New York and Brendan O'Brien in Milwaukee; editing by John Stonestreet)

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