Mega Millions Jackpot Lottery Winner: Where was the $533 million ticket sold?

A lucky lottery player in Illinois has won the Mega Millions jackpot worth an estimated $533 million, marking the first grand prize win of 2026, lottery officials confirmed after the drawing held on Tuesday, March 10.

The winning ticket matched all six numbers drawn during the Mega Millions lottery, ending a long stretch of drawings without a jackpot winner since December last year.

According to lottery officials, the prize carries a cash option of approximately $244.2 million, which the winner may choose to receive as a one-time payment, as per a report by USA Today. Alternatively, the jackpot can be paid through annual installments over several decades, with payments increasing gradually each year.


The identity of the winner has not yet been disclosed.

Winning Mega Millions numbers for March 10

The winning numbers for the Mega Millions drawing on March 10 were:

16, 21, 30, 35, 65, and the Mega Ball was 7.

Lottery officials said the jackpot-winning ticket was sold in Illinois, though the exact retailer location has not yet been widely publicized, as per a report by USA Today.

The win comes after 28 consecutive drawings without a jackpot winner, since the previous grand prize was claimed in New Jersey on December 2.

Additional Mega Millions winners reported

Apart from the jackpot winner, several players across the United States secured significant secondary prizes in the latest Mega Millions drawing.

Lottery officials said:

• Another ticket sold in Illinois matched all five white-ball numbers, earning a $5 million Match 5 prize.
• A player in Maryland also matched five numbers and won a $4 million prize.

While these prizes fall short of the jackpot, they still represent substantial winnings for players participating in the nationwide lottery.

Jackpot resets for next Mega Millions drawing

With the jackpot now claimed, the Mega Millions grand prize has been reset to $50 million, with a cash value of about $22.9 million, as per a report by USA Today.

The next Mega Millions drawing is scheduled for Friday, March 13, at 11 p.m. Eastern Time.

Jackpots typically grow quickly when multiple drawings pass without a winner, often reaching hundreds of millions of dollars.

What is the Mega Millions lottery?

The Mega Millions lottery is one of the largest multi-state lottery games in the United States. It is currently played in 45 states, the District of Columbia, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Players purchase a ticket and select six numbers from two separate number pools.

Participants must choose:

• Five numbers from 1 to 70 (white balls)
• One number from 1 to 24 (the gold Mega Ball)

To win the jackpot, a player must match all five white-ball numbers plus the Mega Ball in a single drawing.

If multiple players match all six numbers, the jackpot prize is shared among the winners.

How to play Mega Millions

To participate in Mega Millions, players must purchase a ticket, typically available at convenience stores, gas stations, and grocery stores. In some states, tickets may also be purchased online through authorized lottery platforms.

Each ticket costs $5.

Players can either manually choose their six numbers or select a Quick Pick (also known as Easy Pick) option, where the computer randomly generates the numbers.

Mega Millions tickets now include a built-in multiplier feature, which automatically increases non-jackpot prizes by two, three, four, five or even ten times, depending on the multiplier drawn.

FAQs

Where was the latest Mega Millions jackpot ticket sold?

The winning Mega Millions jackpot ticket for the March 10 drawing was sold in Illinois.

How much was the Mega Millions jackpot?

The jackpot was worth $533 million, with a cash option of about $244.2 million.