The Lotto Matrix: 9-Figure Jackpots And (Sigh) More Texas News

First things first

How much is Friday’s Mega Million jackpot drawing worth? A splendid $122 million, or $54.8 million for those wanting instant financial gratification. There have been seven rollovers since someone in Ohio matched all five numbers and the Mega Ball for the $112 million drawing April 18. That remains the only jackpot win since the $5 price point was introduced April 8.

A resurgence in birthday months and Nos. 1-12 being drawn contributed to a seven-figure payout in California. A winning ticket there matched all five non-Mega Ball numbers last Friday, including numbers 9, 10, and 12, and resulted in a $3 million payout thanks to the random multiplier.

How much is Saturday’s Powerball jackpot drawing worth? Powerball offers a slightly higher jackpot at $123 million, and a cash option of $55.9 million. Two of the previous three drawings created millionaires with five matching numbers: One $2 million ticket was sold in Massachusetts for Wednesday night’s drawing, and a $1 million ticket was sold in West Virginia for last Saturday night.

There have been eight rollovers since James Shannon Farthing and Linda Grizzle won the $167.3 million drawing April 26 in Kentucky, which preceded a string of unfortunate events by Farthing.

As the Texas Lottery turns

This week’s episode originates in Austin, where state Sen. Bob Hall — who at one point advocated the death of the Texas Lottery via not renewing authorization by state government — submitted a bill that would abolish the Texas Lottery Commission and move oversight of the lottery to the Texas Commission of License and Regulation.

The bill imposes a cap of 100 tickets per transaction and prohibits buying lottery tickets via phone or internet. The legislation needs track shoes to be enacted; the biennial session ends June 2 and requires lawmakers to reverse a previous House decision to reduce the lottery’s budget to zero in the chamber’s version of the 2026-27 spending plan.

The Texas Lottery was also a hot topic at the SBC Summit in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, this week. A panel that included two representatives of lotto courier companies tried to find some positives from what has been — to put it mildly — a messy three months in the Lone Star State.

A California conundrum

The California Attorney General’s Office is asking a judge to dismiss a lawsuit against the California State Lottery Commission by a woman alleging she won the July 19, 2023, Powerball drawing worth $1.03 billion.

Lawmakers for the state made the request in their papers filed ahead of a scheduled Aug. 21 hearing. Stacy Tru alleged a breach of contract but did not attach a copy of the contract she claims the Lottery Commission breached, according to a story from the City News Service.

Further, California Lottery rules state that the valid, original Powerball ticket is the only acceptable proof of a player’s ticket numbers and the “only acceptable instrument” for claiming a prize per the Attoney General’s Office filing.

The California Lottery announced in March 2024 that Yanira Alvarez purchased the winning ticket for the drawing in dispute from Las Palmitas Mini Market in downtown Los Angeles. She opted for the lump-sum payment of $558.1 million before taxes.

West Virginia launches first eInstant game

The West Virginia Lottery launched its first eInstant game in conjunction with The Pollard Digital Games Studio on Thursday, releasing Royal Court Riches to the public.

The grid-style game from the Manitoba-based company, which can be played in denominations ranging from 50 cents to $10 and has a top prize of $150,000, requires players to match three or more symbols in a cluster to either trigger wins, increase a multiplier, or unlock bonus features.

“The addition of Royal Court Riches and the upcoming games from the Pollard Digital Games Studio furthers our commitment to delivering exceptional immersive experiences designed specifically to appeal to lottery players, and growing our contribution to education, seniors, and tourism in a socially responsible manner,” said West Virginia Lottery Director John Myers.

Newsworthy Nuggets

A Bluegrass Bonanza: A woman in south-central Kentucky claimed the largest scratch-off prize in state history, winning $5 million via the $5,000,000 Fortune Game.

The woman, who wished to remain anonymous, purchased her $50 ticket at the Grand Mart in Tompkinsville, which has a population of just over 2,300 people. After taking the ticket to her car to play, she discovered she had won the grand prize by matching the number 46 on the second-to-last row.

“I was shocked! I didn’t know what to think,” she told lottery officials after having the ticket scanned by the store clerk. “He just looked at me and told me it was winner. We were both shocked.” 

She opted for a lump-sum cash payment of $3.4 million, which resulted in winnings after taxes of nearly $2.45 million. She plans on buying a new home with her fiance.

For once, it paid when the husband didn’t listen: Darren and Lindsay L. won $230,000 in the Arkansas Lottery’s Natural State Jackpot drawing held May 7 by pure chance and accident. The tickets were part of a birthday gift to Lindsay, who wanted $40 worth of Powerball plays. Darren mistakenly purchased $1 tickets for the Arkansas-exclusive game in Bella Vista.

But it was a six-figure mistake in their favor after Lindsay discovered two days later, while on a family retreat, that she had a winning ticket that matched all five numbers. The couple told lottery officials they plan on taking a vacation with their winnings.

Who has the biggest active individual state lotto jackpot in the land?There is a new leader this week after a winning ticket was sold in Saturday’s $25 million Super Lotto Plus drawing in California. Per lottery officials, the winning ticket came from the USA Tobacco shop at 2743 Hamner Avenue in Norco, which is approximately 30 miles east of Anaheim.

The Texas Lottery now occupies the top spot, offering $20.75 million for Saturday night’s drawing with a cash option of $11.2 million. New York is second at $10.4 million, and Illinois has the final podium spot at $8.15 million. The Super Lotto Plus is $8 million after a reset and rollover, and New Jersey completes the top five with a Pick-6 jackpot of $5.5 million.

The multi-state Lotto America again rolled over twice, and the jackpot for Saturday night’s drawing is $34.36 million with a cash option is $15.61 million.

Until next week, dream big, check your numbers, and play responsibly!