NEWS RELEASES

First-time Mega Millions Player Wins $1 Million Prize

Roseville, MN, Aug 3, 2022 – The excitement leading up to last Friday’s $1.3 billion Mega Millions jackpot prompted one Minnesota player to get in the game for the first time.

“I thought, why not — it’s only a couple of bucks,” said the lucky Mega Millions player who purchased two quick pick tickets at a Holiday Stationstore in Forest Lake. After checking their ticket on Saturday following the drawing, they realized they had “all but one number” to win $1 million.

When asked if they have thought about what they would like to do with the prize money, the winner replied, “Not one bit!” We still don’t believe it’s real so we can’t spend what we don’t have yet.” Adding, “We have kids and grandkids, so we’ll definitely do something fun!”

The Holiday Stationstore that sold the winning ticket is located at 1208 W. Broadway Ave. in Forest Lake. The business earned a $5,000 bonus for selling the $1 million ticket.

The other $1 million Mega Millions winning ticket won in Minnesota on July 29 was purchased at Casey’s General Store at 7295 University Ave. N.E. in Fridley. It has not yet been presented for payment. Winners have one year from the drawing date to claim prizes.

Ticket sales in Minnesota during the billion-dollar jackpot run, which began April 19, helped raise approximately $9.8 million to support vital state services and environmental projects in every Minnesota county.

Minnesota Mega Millions Winners Come Forward

A Love Story Worth Millions

April 27, 2022 – Minnesota’s newest Mega Millions® multi-millionaires have come forward and claimed their prize. A married couple selected the cash option worth approximately $66.9 million before required tax withholdings. This is the largest prize claimed so far under Minnesota’s new anonymity law.

The couple’s lottery story began more than 30 years ago. On April 17, 1990, the day the first Minnesota Lottery scratch tickets were sold, the future lottery millionaires shared a pizza and played scratch tickets on their first date.

Ms. Lottery Winner said she’s been playing the same numbers, while occasionally changing a number or two, for many years. She missed some drawings over the years but said that she had been playing faithfully since the end of 2021. “Thank goodness! If I had seen those numbers and I didn’t have a ticket …” Luckily, she did have a ticket for the April 12 Mega Millions drawing.

The night of the drawing, she had dozed off before waking up and noticing that it was after 10 p.m. She checked the winning Mega Millions numbers on her cell phone and recognized them instantly: 2-8-14-20-31, Mega Ball 17. In spite of knowing that they were her numbers at first glance, she said that she re-checked over and over just to be certain.

Her husband was watching sports in the basement at the time. “I texted him, ‘Come up here right now, I’m not even kidding.’” She heard him run up the stairs. She showed him her phone. Not surprisingly, he had a couple of urgent questions: “Are those your numbers?” and “Do you have a ticket?”

After a couple of hours of sleep, they went to work as usual. Ms. Lottery Winner said, “I got about five minutes of work done.” Since then, they have told some relatives and co-workers and started making plans for their future. To help navigate their new life as lottery winners, they took time to assemble a team that includes a lawyer, financial advisor and an accountant before they claimed the prize. They said that their immediate plans are “typical.” They would like to purchase a house and a car, and travel.

The jackpot-winning ticket was purchased at Holiday Stationstores, located at 14350 Xkimo St. NW in Ramsey. The business earned a $50,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.

This is Minnesota’s first Mega Millions jackpot winner since Minnesota joined the game in 2010.

Anonymity Law

Unless the jackpot winner chooses to opt in to publicity, their name and city will not be released. As of Sept. 1, 2021, the names and cities of lottery prize winners above $10,000 are private data.

About the Minnesota Lottery

Playing Our Part: Since 1990, the lottery has generated more than $3.6 billion for programs that positively impact the lives of Minnesotans. More than $1.5 billion has helped preserve, restore and protect Minnesota’s environment through the Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund, Game and Fish Fund and the Natural Resources Fund. Another $2 billion has helped fund state programs, including education, public safety and health and human services. Lottery dollars also support programs to help prevent and treat problem gambling.

$1 Million Lottery Win in Big Lake

Tonight’s Mega Millions Jackpot an Estimated $347 Million

January 18, 2022, Roseville, MN – A Minnesota Lottery player has a million reasons to celebrate after winning $1 million in Friday’s Mega Millions drawing. Holiday Stationstores, located at 281 Jefferson Blvd in Big Lake, sold the winning ticket.

No one hit the jackpot, so it has grown to an estimated $347 million with a cash option of $239.4 million for tonight’s drawing

The winning numbers drawn on Friday, Jan. 14, 2022 were: 5 - 8 - 13 - 22 - 48 and Mega Ball 25. The Megaplier was 2x.

There are nine ways to win Mega Millions, starting with $2 for matching just the Mega Ball. Match the first five numbers to win $1 million. Match the first five numbers plus the Mega Ball to win the jackpot.

The cost per play is $2. For an additional $1 per play, players may purchase the Megaplier feature to increase non-jackpot prizes by 2, 3, 4 or 5 times.

LOTTERY TICKETS ARE NOT APPROPRIATE GIFTS FOR MINORS

DEC. 1, 2021, ROSEVILLE, MN – The Minnesota Lottery and the Minnesota Alliance on Problem Gambling (MNAPG) announced today they are continuing their annual participation in an international responsible gambling campaign to raise awareness about the risks of underage lottery play during the holiday season. Both organizations will promote the importance of responsible gambling through various media channels, joining a growing effort to raise awareness about this issue around Minnesota, the United States and North America.

December is a time when many cultures share in gift giving, and some may consider giving scratch tickets to young people as gifts. “A scratch ticket may provide momentary excitement, but underage recipients don’t have the cognitive development to discern the potential risks of gambling,” says Susan Sheridan Tucker, MNAPG executive director. “This is why tickets sales are limited to adults.” When a trusted adult provides a ticket to a minor, it normalizes the activity as an acceptable practice.

In the most recent Minnesota Student Survey (2019) .05 percent of students indicated possible disordered gambling and another 2 percent indicated having problems with their gambling. This may seem like a small number, but it translates into 10,000 students. We know that a young person’s gambling starts as early as 10 years old. 30 percent surveyed indicated they had gambled in the last year and 7 percent said they gambled frequently (at least once a week or more). Youth gambling is particularly concerning because researchers have established a link between the age at which a person first gambles and the occurrence of excessive or problem gambling later in life. Studies have also shown that many adolescents gamble at least occasionally, and that lottery products, particularly scratch tickets, often serve as an introduction to gambling activities for youth.[1]

“While we think lottery tickets make for fun gifts for adults, they are not appropriate as a gift for minors,” says Adam Prock, executive director of the Minnesota Lottery. “The commitment of the Minnesota Lottery and so many other lotteries around the country demonstrates our interest in ensuring that lottery participation is both fun and safe.” Both Tucker and Prock feel that responsible gambling is a positive approach to minimizing gambling-related harm and maximizing public benefit.

About Minnesota Alliance on Problem Gambling

Minnesota Alliance on Problem is a nonprofit, gambling-neutral organization dedicated to improving the lives of Minnesotans affected by problem gambling. A 501 (c)(3) nonprofit, MNAPG is funded by membership fees, financial and in-kind donations, and state and private grants. MNAPG serves as Minnesota’s affiliate to the National Council on Problem Gambling.

About Minnesota State Lottery

The Minnesota Lottery raises money for programs that positively impact the lives of Minnesotans. It offers uniquely Minnesotan games of chance that are held to the highest standard of integrity and security. Since 1990, the Minnesota Lottery has returned more than $3.5 billion to programs that benefit all Minnesotans, including the state’s most precious natural resources, education, health care and more.

If someone you know needs help with a gambling problem, call (800) 333-HOPE. Treatment is available free of charge for qualifying individuals throughout Minnesota.

[1] Gambling-Related Attitudes and Behaviors in Adolescents Having Received Instant (Scratch) Lottery Tickets as Gifts

Priya V. Kundu, D.O. a, Corey E. Pilver, Ph.D. b, Rani A. Desai, Ph.D., M.P.H. c,d, Marvin A. Steinberg, Ph.D. e, Loreen Rugle, Ph.D. f, Suchitra Krishnan-Sarin, Ph.D. c,g, and Marc N. Potenza, M.D., Ph.D. c,f,g,h,* Journal of Adolescent Health 52 (2013) 456e464

Lottery debuts 12 fun facts of fiscal year 21 to celebrate the Minnesota State Fair

AUG. 31, 2021, ROSEVILLE, MN – The Minnesota Lottery is excited to debut 12 fun facts from fiscal year 21 which began July 1, 2020 and ended June 30, 2021 to help celebrate the 12 days of fun during The Great Minnesota Get-Together:

1. Minnesota Lottery sales set a record of $803.6 million in fiscal year 21, surpassing the previous fiscal year’s record by $135.1 million. This is the fourth year in a row of record sales.
2. Minnesotans won a record $518.9 million in prizes.
3. Our retail partners paid, on average, more than 104,000 winning tickets every day.
4. Minnesota Lottery delivered a big win for Minnesotans with a record return of $188.8 million to the State. Lottery dollars support Minnesota’s General Fund, protect and preserve Minnesota’s environment, and fund important work to help prevent and treat problem gambling. Some lottery beneficiaries at the Fair, including the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR), where lottery dollars help fund efforts to maintain and improve parks and trails across the state.
5. Since 1990, the Minnesota Lottery has generated more than $3.4 billion for Minnesota, improving the lives of Minnesotans throughout all 87 counties.
6. The approximately 3,000 lottery retail partners from Aitkin to Zumbrota earned a record $53.7 million in commissions and incentives.
7. With more than 4.5 million tickets sold, Ju$t A Buck was the most popular scratch game of fiscal year 21 among Minnesota players.
8. The most popular lotto game of fiscal year 21? Powerball. More Minnesotans said I’MN to Powerball than any other game. Now with three Powerball drawings per week (hello, Monday drawings!) Minnesota players have another chance to get in on the fun.
9. Easiest jackpot game to win? Minnesota’s own Northstar Cash, which produced 51 jackpot winners—almost 1 every week.
10. Minnesota Millionaire Raffle continued to offer the lottery’s best odds to win $1 million and produced two $1 million winners. Spoiler alert: Sales for this year’s Raffle begin Oct. 26.
11. Luckiest retailers by region in (biggest prize sold in each region):
    1. Northwest: Coborn’s #2030 in Park Rapids sold a $500,000 winning Payday scratch ticket
    2. Northeast: Lucky Seven 1 Stop in Swan River sold a $630,373 winning Gopher 5 ticket
    3. Southwest: Fraternal Order of Eagles #2334 in Willmar sold a $212,146 winning Print-N-Play ticket
    4. Southeast: Casey’s General Store #3832 in Janesville sold a $503,343 winning Gopher 5 ticket
    5. Twin Cities: Wash-N-Fill Express of New Brighton sold a $1.8 million winning Gopher 5 ticket
12. This is the Minnesota Lottery’s 13^th year at the Minnesota State Fair. We chose a different offering at the Fair this year in order to comply with safety guidance surrounding COVID-19. The lottery is safely connecting with Minnesotans 18+ by handing out FREE entry slips for a drawing to win $300 plus the chance to win $1 million in the Powerball First Millionaire of the Year drawing.

Media availability: Minnesota Lottery Executive Director Adam Prock will be available for media interviews at the lottery booth at the Minnesota State Fair this week. Please contact Emily Frost to schedule an interview.

Contact:

Emily Frost, Minnesota Lottery Public Affairs
emily.frost@mnlottery.com
651-635-8224

Editor’s note: Fiscal year 2021 numbers are unaudited.