Although Friday’s massive more than $1.3 billion Mega Millions jackpot went to a lucky person who bought the ticket in Illinois, dozens of winners throughout Maryland and Virginia managed to snag smaller cash prizes of up to $20,000.
Maryland had more than 300,000 winning tickets sold for the July 29 drawing, with seven people winning $10,000, and one person winning $20,000, according to Seth Elkin, spokesman for Maryland Lottery and Gaming.
In Virginia, more than 400,000 winning tickets were sold, with three $10,000 winners and one $20,000 winner, according to Virginia Lottery News. The $20,000 winning ticket was sold online, while the three $10,000 winning tickets were sold in Gainesville, Warrenton and Stafford.
Both the Maryland and Virginia winners of the $20,000 prize had originally won $10,000, but doubled their winnings with the $1 Megaplier option on their tickets.
Friday’s drawing also produced six $2 million winners and 20 $1 million winners across the country, but none were located in Maryland or Virginia, Elkin said.
The odds of matching all six numbers to win the jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350, and the odds of winning any prize are 1 in 24, according to the Virginia Lottery.
Since April, the Virginia Lottery said the sales of Mega Millions tickets in Virginia have generated more than $30 million for public education in the state.
