California Player Wins $3.665М in Mega Millions

According to the California State Lottery, one lucky player has won $3.665 million after matching the five winning numbers of 4, 13, 52, 53, and 69 of a Mega Millions ticket purchased at Chill Out Smoke Shop in Torrance.

Winner Walks Away with Over $3.6 Million

The shop, located at 4437 Sepulveda Blvd., Suite B, in Torrance, sold the winning ticket, which the player, whose identity still remains unknown, managed to get five of the six winning numbers. The player only missed the Mega Ball number, which was 10. Despite that, matching the five other numbers is incredible luck, as the odds of doing so are one in 12,629,232, according to the California Lottery website. 

The California ticket holder wasn’t the only Match 5 winner, as a player in New Jersey also secured a prize by matching all five numbers. Despite that, no one has yet guessed all six numbers, so the jackpot remains untouched.

With no jackpot winner in the latest Mega Millions drawing, the prize has climbed to $70 million. The previous Mega Millions jackpot fell on March 10 when a player, who has decided to go by the apt nickname of “Lucky Lady” to stay anonymous, won an astonishing $536 million.

Beware of Scams, the California State Lottery Says

With the rise in stakes of the Mega Millions lottery, there has been an increased number of scammers trying to take advantage of the hype surrounding it, the California State Lottery says. Officials have urged players to remain cautious following a surge in scam reports from both victims and law enforcement. According to authorities, scammers are increasingly impersonating lottery representatives or claiming ties to prize winners, in efforts to obtain money or sensitive personal information.

They emphasized that legitimate lottery winnings are never initiated through unsolicited calls or text messages, and advised the public to stay vigilant against any suspicious communications requesting payment or personal details. These messages often state that the prize cannot be claimed until taxes, processing fees, or other charges are paid, and they usually try to create a sense of urgency to prompt quick action.

However, the California State Lottery explained that winners are never notified unexpectedly. The lottery never sends unsolicited emails, texts, direct messages, or phone calls claiming someone has won. Furthermore, the real winners are also never required to pay fees or taxes in advance to receive their prize.

The Mega Millions lottery’s next draw will be on Friday, March 27.