At least one Mega Millions player will have plenty of money to ring in the new year after the winning number is drawn. After three months in which no one won the lottery’s top prize, an estimated $1.22 billion worth of ticket was sold for the drawing Friday night in California, according to the Mega Millions website.

The winning ticket featured the white balls 3, 7, 37, 49, 55 and the golden megaball 6. The identity of the winner(s) was not initially known.

The total amount of the Mega Millions jackpot will only be distributed to a winner who chooses an annuity that will be paid out over 29 years. Almost all grand prize winners opt for a cash payout, estimated to be $549.7 million in Friday night’s drawing.

Despite the game’s long odds of 1 in 302.6 million, players continued to buy tickets as the size of the top prize increased. Until Friday, the last time a Mega Millions player won the top prize was September 10th.

In August 2023, the largest Mega Millions jackpot ticket ever was sold in Florida, worth $1.6 billion. Two prizes for his compatriot’s Powerball lottery were larger.

Mega Millions and Powerball are sold in 45 states as well as Washington, DC and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Powerball is also sold in Puerto Rico.

Mega Millions ticket prices are set to rise from $2 to $5 in April. The increase will be one of many changes that officials say will result in improved jackpot odds, more frequent giant prizes and even bigger payouts.

Download the FREE WPXI News App for breaking news alerts.

Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook And Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW