The Mega Millions jackpot accumulated $1.1 billion after no one matched the six winning numbers this Friday.
The winning combination was 3, 8, 31, 35, 44, and the golden Mega ball: 16. Friday's prize was estimated at 977 million dollars.
This would be the sixth time in the last 22 years of the game's history that the prize exceeds $1 billion.
The winner can take home $461 million in cash if he opts for a single payment.
The last time someone hit the jackpot was December 8th.
And the largest jackpot in US lottery history was a Powerball ticket in California worth $2.04 billion in the November 8, 2022 drawing.
[Who won the $1.58 billion Mega Millions with a ticket sold in Florida?]
The next largest prize was also a Powerball prize of $1.586 million on January 13, 2016. It was split between 3 tickets sold in California, Florida, and Tennessee.
The Mega Millions Florida jackpot ranks third.
The fourth, fifth and sixth largest jackpots were also Mega Millions prizes, with $1.537 million going to a single winner in South Carolina on October 23, 2018;
$1.35 billion in Maine on January 13, 2023;
and 1.337 million in Illinois on July 29, 2022.
Historically, most winners have chosen to receive the prize as a one-time payment, according to the Multi-State Lottery Association.
Sometimes they opt for the annuity.
Mega Millions is played in 45 states, plus Washington, DC and the US Virgin Islands.