Second Powerball Jackpot Co-Winner Claims Prize, Takes $410M Cash Option

Three weeks after the Missouri winner of one half of the $1.787 billion Sept. 6 Powerball jackpot came forward to anonymously claim their prize, their counterpart in Texas has done the same.

The Texas Lottery announced Monday that Seven Bridges Revocable Trust of Fredericksburg, Texas, secured the other half of the prize and, like the Missouri customer, opted for the lump-sum cash payment of $410,324,470.28 before taxes. (Many lottery winners establish trusts before claiming prizes, keeping their personal identification confidential.)

The winning ticket was sold at Big’s 103 (pictured above), a gas station and convenience store on U.S. Highway 290 in Fredericksburg — and the retailer received a $250,000 bonus for selling the ticket.

According to a representative of the Seven Bridges Revocable Trust, the winner chose their own numbers on that day, selecting numbers of personal importance to them — but making a mistake on one and picking a number they didn’t intend to use. That’s about the best mistake a person could ever make — although it cost someone in Missouri another $410 million.

“We’re excited to celebrate this milestone with the claimant of the largest jackpot prize in Texas Lottery history,” Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation Executive Director Courtney Arbour said in a release. “This record-setting prize shows that any Texas Lottery ticket could be the next big winner, all while helping to generate vital funding for public education and veterans’ services right here in Texas.”

Mega Millions jackpot getting serious

While Powerball continues to build back up following that massive September smash — the jackpot has now rolled over 16 times since and stands at an estimated $273 million for Wednesday night — the top prize in the draw-lottery streets right now is the one offered by Mega Millions.

For Tuesday night’s drawing, the estimated grand prize is an even $600 million, or $277.2 million as a one-time cash payment.

This is the 11th time in Mega Millions history the jackpot has hit $600 million and the first time since the ticket price rose from $2 to $5 in April. It’s the largest Mega Millions jackpot since a $1.269 billion win in California last December.

The most recent drawing, on Friday night, saw winning numbers of 3, 18, 23, 32, and 56, with a gold Mega Ball of 8. Not only did that fail to produce a jackpot winner, but there were no Match 5 winners either, meaning the largest prize handed out was $40,000.

Ticket sales are beginning to pick up, but only moderately. By Lottery Geeks’ estimates, 8.78 million tickets were sold for Friday’s drawing, an improvement over sales in the 7-to-8-million range for most of September but a far cry from the 250 million-plus tickets believed to be sold for Powerball at the height of its recent run.

There have been 30 rollovers since the Mega Millions jackpot last hit, on June 27 in Virginia.

According to Mega Millions, since the price increase to $5 just over six months ago (starting with the April 8 drawing), 26 players have won at least $2 million before taxes.

While tickets for Mega Millions cost $5, Powerball tickets cost $2. Most states offer the multiplier option for Powerball, which impacts any prize won except the jackpot, for an additional $1. Mega Millions comes with an automatic multiplier for any prize except the jackpot.

Both Powerball and Mega Millions are legal in all states except Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah. Tickets for both draw games are also sold in Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In Puerto Rico, customers can buy tickets for Powerball, but not for Mega Millions.

All-time biggest jackpots

Here is a list of the all-time top 10 U.S. lottery jackpots:

1. $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 7, 2022, won in California
2. $1.79 billion, Powerball, Sept. 6, 2025, won in Missouri and Texas
3. $1.76 billion, Powerball, Oct. 11, 2023, won in California
4. $1.6 billion, Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023, won in Florida
5. $1.59 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016, won in California, Florida, and Tennessee
6. $1.54 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018, won in South Carolina
7. $1.35 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023, won in Maine
8. $1.34 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022, won in Illinois
9. $1.33 billion, Powerball, April 6, 2024, won in Oregon
10. $1.22 billion, Mega Millions, Dec. 27, 2024, won in California

Here’s the all-time top 10 by lump-sum cash value:

1. $997.6 million, Powerball, Nov. 7, 2022, won in California
2. $983.5 million, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016, won in California, Florida, and Tennessee
3. $877.8 million, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018, won in South Carolina
4. $820.6 million, Powerball, Sept. 6, 2025, won in Missouri and Texas
5. $794.2 million, Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023, won in Florida
6. $780.5 million, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022, won in Illinois
7. $776.6 million, Mega Millions, Jan. 22, 2021, won in Michigan
8. $774.1 million, Powerball, Oct. 11, 2023, won in California
9. $723.5 million, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023, won in Maine
10. $621 million, Powerball, April 6, 2024, won in Oregon