Massive Mega Millions Jackpot Won in Georgia - Winner Claims Nearly $1 Billion
Monday November 17th 2025The Mega Millions jackpot has been on a tremendous roll over the past few months, and it looked as if it would breeze past the billion-dollar mark into record territory. However, one Georgia lottery fan and their Quik Pik ticket have put a stop to that, winning the entire $980,000,000 jackpot on Friday November 14th - the biggest prize ever won in the Peach State.
What we know so far
The winning numbers on the night were 1-8-11-12-57 and 7 for the Mega Ball, and the winning ticket was a randomly generated "Quik Pik" ticket, purchased at Publix #1816, 4000 N. Highway 29, Newnan, GA. The full annuity value of the jackpot, before taxes, is $980 million, while the cash lump-sum equivalent is $452.2 million.
The winner has yet to come forward to claim their prize, but it's totally normal (and probably a very good idea) for big lottery winners to take their time, let things sink in, and get their affairs in order before making the claim. Georgia Lottery prizes expire 180 days following the date of the draw, so the winner has until May 2026 to lodge their claim.
The Georgia Lottery permits players who've won $250,000 or more to remain anonymous - a popular choice for big lottery winners nowadays, so it's unlikely we'll learn more about the lucky individual. We'll have to wait and see when they come forward to claim the prize.
The Official Response
The Georgia Lottery President & CEO Gretchen Corbin was quick to congratulate the winner, and remind players of the good causes the Georgia Lottery supports: “We are thrilled to congratulate the largest winner in our state’s history. With every Mega Millions ticket sold in Georgia supporting HOPE and Pre-K, Georgia’s students and families are also big winners. We appreciate our players and retailers for their support of our mission.”
This is by far the biggest Mega Millions jackpot won since the game's rules were changed back in April. One of the motivations behind the rule-change was to boost player interest, and this seems to have worked. The new game format offers better overall odds, better jackpot odds, and larger prizes, with these improvements funded by a comparably expensive $5 minimum ticket cost.
Jackpot records broken?
Although this latest jackpot was truly massive, it hadn't quite reached record-breaking territory. The $980 million prize sits comfortably as the 8th biggest Mega Millions jackpot of all time, between an $810 million prize won in Texas, 2024, and a $1.05 billion prize won in Michigan, 2021. The biggest Mega Millions jackpot ever stands at $1.602 billion, which was won by a single ticket in Florida back in 2023.
However, this jackpot is by far the largest prize ever won in the state of Georgia. The $980 million jackpot dwarfs the previous record-holding Powerball jackpot of $478.2 million, and it'll be a tough title-holder to beat.
What now for Mega Millions?
For now, the Mega Millions jackpot has been reset to the starting value of $50 million. This is another thing that was updated in April, as the previous starting jackpot used to be just $20 million.
If you've been following Mega Millions closely and the new $50 mil. jackpot just isn't doing it for you anymore, don't worry - the Powerball jackpot is climbing rapidly! It's estimated at $570 million for tonight's draw, so if you like chasing the biggest jackpots imaginable, it might be time to switch games (for now, at least).
Stop by your local store for some tickets, or (depending on the laws in your state), you could even get them online, from the comfort of your home. Check out the Tickets Page for more info.
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