A stop at a 7-Eleven and a Quick Pick ticket brought home Pennsylvania’s biggest jackpot ever.
Last week, a five-member group from Levittown claimed the winning Mega Millions ticket from the May 21 drawing that had an annuity value of $516 million. It was the largest jackpot in the history of Pennsylvania’s lottery prizes.
The group formed the Peace of Mind Trust to claim the winning ticket and opted for the lump-sum payment of $348.6 million. After a 24-percent federal tax and a 3.07 percent state tax, the trust will share $254.2 million.
It’s an eye-popping, life-changing, big gulp-inducing total.
Pennsylvania Lottery Executive Director Drew Svitko said in a press release:
“The Pennsylvania Lottery congratulates the big winners of this historic jackpot. We tell our players all the time that it only takes one ticket to have a chance (for) a life-changing jackpot…This Mega Millions win is a reminder of that fact. This is the largest jackpot ever won in Pennsylvania, and that’s also great news for the older Pennsylvanians who benefit from the programs the Pennsylvania Lottery funds.”
Ninth-largest Mega Millions jackpot ticket sold in Bucks County
The 7-Eleven on Trenton Road in Levittown in Bucks County sold the winning ticket which matched all five white balls drawn (6-9-17-18-48) and the yellow Mega Ball 8.
Overall, it was the ninth-largest jackpot since the Mega Millions game began in 2002. The odds of winning were approximately 1 in 302 million.
But it only takes that one.
Attorneys Kurt Panouses and Christopher Mahoney, who represent the newly-formed Peace of Mind Trust, said in a statement from the news release:
“This is life-changing generational money. The winners live in small communities in eastern Pennsylvania and desire to keep their lives as normal as possible. Maintaining anonymity is key to ensuring that normalcy. The winning ticket was a Quick Pick.”
Mega Millions is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. The most recent run in Pennsylvania (from February 19 to May 21) generated $41.5 million in sales. It created tax revenue of $16.6 million to benefit older Pennsylvanians.
The next jackpot, which is estimated at $94 million, will be drawn on Friday night. Tickets can be purchased at lottery retailers or online/in-app for those with iLottery accounts.
PA Lottery on pace for record fiscal year
Despite a pandemic that disrupted many elements of normal life, Pennsylvania Lottery’s fiscal year should produce record profits and tax revenues.
Pennsylvania Lottery’s projections for the fiscal year (which ended ended on June 30), estimated that traditional lottery sales would surpass $5 billion. Projections for online lottery games estimated sales of over $900 million. Those totals would provide more than $1.3 billion to programs that benefit older Pennsylvanians.
The state couldn’t afford to lose that revenue stream during the pandemic. Thankfully, the PA Lottery’s employees were up to the challenge. They adapted operations to ensure the lottery’s daily drawings continued, safeguarding the support provided to the state’s older citizens.
PA Gov. Tom Wolf highlighted the drawings staff at the PA Lottery as part of a new Profiles in Service Series. The distinction spotlights the work of state employees who provide quality public services and overcome operational challenges created by the pandemic.
Lottery Drawings Manager Rachel Feitelson said in the press release:
“One of the main challenges we had to overcome was to figure out how to continue to do the drawings, while following our procedures and the CDC Guidelines. The team worked together. We were able to come up with ways to keep everybody safe and still get the job done, get it done properly and correctly. There was no doubt that we wouldn’t do the drawings.”
Overall, the PA Lottery has a staff of roughly 275 employees. Their collective efforts have kept the state lottery and the various programs it supports as a vibrant asset for Pennsylvania’s revenues.
PA Lottery’s online games continue strong performance
At present, the Pennsylvania Lottery is seeing growth in almost all of its game categories. Scratch-off tickets remain the most popular product. The lottery is also benefiting from the Powerball and Mega Millions multi-state jackpots that generate significant sales.
In addition, the state’s iLottery games have also been incredibly popular during the pandemic. Players can access the games on their computer, tablet or mobile device, right from their homes.
It all adds up to record numbers.
With the massive Mega Millions win and the fiscal year projections, it’s been a strong stretch for the Pennsylvania Lottery. The success is even more impressive considering all the obstacles and challenges that everyone encountered.
Now, with the pandemic’s disruptions nearing an end, it’s possible the PA Lottery’s next fiscal year could be even better.
Even brighter days and more big jackpots – like those brought by a 7-Eleven Quick Pick – will be waiting up ahead.