The lucky Illinois iLottery winner of the $552 million Mega Millions jackpot has come forward to claim their epic prize. The winner, nicknamed “MEGA Millionaire,” snagged the jackpot after playing the game online – making this the largest jackpot won through iLottery in U.S. history. “I was scrolling through my emails when I saw one from the Illinois Lottery saying to check my numbers because I won a prize,” shared MEGA Millionaire, who has requested to remain anonymous. “In the past, I’ve won $2 here or $5 there, so I assumed it would be similar.” The lucky winner continued, “You can’t imagine my shock and disbelief when I saw that I had won the jackpot amount of $552 million. I actually quit the app and then signed back in to double check and make sure it was real. It was real alright – but it still feels unreal!” The MEGA Millionaire matched all five numbers and the Mega Ball, 19-37-40-63-69-17, to win the jackpot in the June 4, 2024 Mega Millions drawing.  “I was raised by a single mom and throughout my childhood, she had to work two jobs to provide for our family, to put food on the table, and for us to get an education,” expressed the grateful winner. “The day after I graduated from high school, I started working and I haven’t stopped since.”  During the Mega Millions jackpot roll that started on March 26, nearly $28 million in total ticket sales generated $11 million for the Common School Fund to support K-12 education in Illinois. 

Photo caption: Illinois Lottery Des Plaines Prize Center supervisor, Kathy, holds up the big check that was presented to the $552 million Mega Millions jackpot winner.
Photo Credit: Illinois iLottery