A Mega Millions ticket has brought newfound wealth to at least one lucky player, just in time for New Year’s celebrations. After a three-month period without any winners for the grand prize, a ticket worth an astonishing $1.22 billion was purchased in California for the latest draw held on Friday evening, as per the Mega Millions official site.

According to the California Lottery, the winning ticket was bought at Circle K (Sunshine Food and Gas) located on Rhonda Road in Cottonwood, approximately 150 miles (240 kilometers) north of Sacramento. The ticket successfully matched the white ball numbers 3, 7, 37, 49, 55 along with the gold Mega Ball, which was 6. Ishar Gill, who is the son of the store owner, referred to the sale of the winning ticket as “a blessing” for the small farming community of roughly 6,000 residents. The identity of the fortunate winner or winners has not yet been revealed.

“We’re completely in the dark about who might have won or who purchased the ticket,” Gill stated. “But we extend our congratulations to the winner.”

To claim the entire Mega Millions jackpot amount, a winner would need to opt for an annuity that pays out over the course of 29 years. However, the vast majority of jackpot winners usually prefer the immediate cash payout, which is estimated at $549.7 million from Friday’s drawing.

Despite the game’s improbable winning odds of 1 in 302.6 million, ticket sales kept climbing as the jackpot swelled. Prior to this recent win, the last Mega Millions jackpot winner was recorded on September 10.

The largest Mega Millions jackpot in history, worth a staggering $1.6 billion, was won in Florida back in August 2023. While two prizes from the Powerball lottery have exceeded this amount, the allure of both games continues to attract players. Mega Millions and Powerball are available across 45 states, as well as in Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands, with Powerball also being sold in Puerto Rico.

In a move that is bound to affect players, Mega Millions ticket prices are scheduled to rise from $2 to $5 beginning in April. This price increase is just one of several changes that officials hope will enhance jackpot odds, lead to more frequent significant prizes, and ultimately result in even larger payouts.