MARCH 9, 2010 — Lee Grimmer and Henry Lasser of Elk River started playing Mega Millions when the game went on sale in Minnesota on Jan. 31. The couple purchased a four-line ticket for the March 5 drawing. They added the Megaplier® multiplier option for an extra $1 per play.

As they were on their way to the grocery store the next morning, Grimmer noticed that the billboard reported the Mega Millions jackpot at $12 million, so she knew somebody won the jackpot the previous night. She went to the ticket checker at the customer service desk to scan the ticket while Lasser started shopping. “It said to claim the prize at the Lottery,” Grimmer recalled. “I signaled Henry to tell him we won something. I told him not to get too excited - we may have only won $1,000.”

After the couple returned home, Grimmer went online to get the winning numbers. “I spotted the first number and followed them across,” she said. She told Lasser, “'We didn't get the Mega Ball® but we won $1 million!' We grabbed each other and fell to our knees.”

While the couple claimed their $1 million prize on March 8, Lasser said, “I can't believe this. It makes everyday life a bit easier.” Grimmer added, “I don't think we've stopped smiling. We look at each other and start laughing!”    

Grimmer and Lasser won $250,000 for matching the first five numbers drawn. Because they purchased the Megaplier option, their prize was multiplied by the Megaplier number (which was 4 for that drawing) to win $1 million. The winning Mega Millions numbers for March 5, 2010 are 11-31-34-44-52 and the Mega Ball is 32.

The winning ticket was purchased at Holiday, 18823 Freeport Ave. in Elk River.

Mega Millions is a multi-state jackpot game. Jackpots start at $12 million and continue to grow until someone wins. There are nine ways to win with Mega Millions. To play, players select five numbers from 1 to 56 (the white balls) plus one number from 1 to 46 (the gold Mega Ball). The jackpot is won by matching all five numbers plus the Mega Ball. Overall odds of winning a cash prize are approximately 1 in 40. Odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are approximately 1 in 175.7 million.

For an extra $1 per play, players can add the Megaplier option to multiply their prizes (except the jackpot) by two, three or four times - for the chance to win up to $1 million. A Megaplier number is randomly selected during the Mega Millions drawing.

Proceeds from the Minnesota State Lottery benefit all Minnesotans. Since 1990, the Lottery has raised more than $1.8 billion for state programs. The General Fund has received over $1 billion to help fund important functions such as education, public safety and health and human services. Another $704 million has funded critical environmental programs.Lottery players must be 18 years of age or older. Please play responsibly. If you or someone you know needs help with a gambling problem, call (800) 333-HOPE.