The largest Mega Millions jackpot ever claimed in California has a winner.
Rosemary Casarotti matched all five white numbers and the gold Mega Ball in the drawing held on December 27, 2024. She chose to claim her $1.269 billion prize as a lump-sum payment of $571 million, minus federal taxes.
The story is reminiscent of the person who hit a $1 billion jackpot a year ago, but waited until December to claim the money, which was the time the buzz for the jackpot Casarotti won was at a fever pitch.
Near Record-Setting Mega Millions Jackpot
Casarotti's jackpot now finds itself among the top five biggest Mega Millions jackpots ever won, according to the lottery. The list includes:
- $1.602 billion, Aug. 8, 2023: Won in Florida
- $1.537 billion, Oct. 23, 2018: Won in South Carolina
- $1.348 billion, Jan. 13, 2023: Won in Maine
- $1.337 billion, July 29, 2022: Won in Illinois
- $1.269 billion, December 27, 2024: Won in California
The overall odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350. Perhaps that's why only four jackpots, including Casarotti’s, were won in 2024. That's the fewest in a single year in Mega Millions’ history, according to the lottery.
Winner Chooses To Stay Out of Spotlight
While state law required Casarotti to be named publicly, she declined to appear at a press conference announcing her incredible win.
Lottery officials have confirmed that Casarotti wishes to maintain a low profile. “We offer Rosemary our heartfelt congratulations for her historic win and our gratitude for her part in supporting the California Lottery’s mission to provide extra money for public education in our state,” said California Lottery Director Harjinder Shergill Chima.
“I had the pleasure of speaking with Rosemary by phone following her win, and I can tell you with certainty how grateful she is and how happy she is to have won this money,” said California Lottery spokesperson Carolyn Becker in the press release.
A Win for California Schools
Remarkably, this record-setting jackpot also benefited California’s educational system.
According to lottery officials, the historic win contributed an estimated $89.5 million toward public schools. The Sunshine Food and Gas Circle K in Cottonwood, where the winning ticket was sold, will also get a bonus of $1 million.
Owner Ishar Gill expressed his joy, saying, “It’s an amazing feeling to know that our store played a part in making Lottery history.”
How Mega Millions Works
Mega Millions draws take place every Tuesday and Friday at 11 p.m.
Each ticket costs $2, and players have to match five numbers from a set of 70, plus a Mega Ball from a set of 25, to hit the jackpot. The "Megaplier," a $1 add-on feature that can increase non-jackpot prizes by 2, 3, 4 or 5 times. Before each regular Mega Millions drawing, the Megaplier is drawn. From a pool of 15 balls, six are marked with "3X," five are marked with "2X," three with "4X" and one with "5X."
Mega Millions is played in 45 states, plus the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands.
The next Mega Millions drawing is tonight, and it is generating buzz with a jackpot estimated at $324 million.
