A $1 billion Mega Millions jackpot remains unclaimed. It's not the first time.

AI-assisted summary
• A $1.128 billion Mega Millions jackpot from March 2024 remains unclaimed in New Jersey.
• If unclaimed after one year, the jackpot money will be returned to participating states.
• Previous unclaimed jackpots have occurred, but none have reached $1 billion.
• Lottery officials speculate winners may be consulting financial advisors or developing spending plans.

Six months after a New Jersey player won the $1.128 billion Mega Millions jackpot, no one has claimed the prize.

Although the billion-dollar jackpot winner still has time, it wouldn't be the first time that winning Mega Millions tickets have gone unclaimed.

The lucky New Jersey ticket was bought on March 26 at a ShopRite Liquor in Neptune Township on the coast. The winning white ball numbers were 7, 11, 22, 29 and 38, while the gold Mega Ball was 4, the lottery said. After taxes, the ticket is worth $536.6 million.

Jackpot winners in New Jersey have up to one year to claim their Mega Millions prize.

Here's a look at the Mega Millions and its previous unclaimed jackpot winners, and what happens to unclaimed money.

What happens if no one claims the Mega Millions jackpot? 

If a jackpot prize goes unclaimed, each participating state in the Mega Millions game will get back all the money it contributed.

"For multi-state games like Mega Millions, if the jackpot is unclaimed, the funds would go back to all the participating lotteries based on their share of sales," Dan Miller, a spokesperson for the Mega Millions, told USA TODAY. "Every lottery has its own rules for distributing its unclaimed prizes."

The billion-dollar jackpot was won in New Jersey, but the state does not get to keep all of the money.

"If the prize goes unclaimed, New Jersey does not keep all $1.1 billion," he said. "Most states either revert to a lottery's beneficiary, or beneficiaries, or go back to players through extra prizes and promotions, or some combination of the two."

Has there been an unclaimed jackpot before?  

While this is not the first time a jackpot winner has not claimed or delayed claiming their winnings, that hasn't happened before with a billion-dollar jackpot, Miller said.

Winners in New York, Florida and other states have missed their chance at becoming millionaires.  

Miller cited the following examples in New York: a $68 million jackpot in 2002, a $46 million one in 2003 and a $31 million one in 2006. In Florida last year, a $39 million jackpot went unclaimed, he said.

Players might not claim jackpot prize right away for several reasons 

Miller explains that some people might wait longer to claim prizes for strategic reasons.  

“Sometimes they're talking with the financial advisor. Sometimes they're trying to develop a plan for what they want to do with the money when they claim it,” Miller said. “Our hope was always that the people who win do come forward and claim their prize, because we obviously want the people who play to win.”  

The Mega Millions, which first began as the “Big Game” on Aug. 31, 1996, made history on March 30, 2012, as the world’s largest prize in any jackpot game, with an estimated jackpot of $656 million. Since then, the record has been broken time and again. As the jackpot continues to reach new highs, the lottery wants to remind players to check their tickets.  

Why is the Mega Millions cash option lower than the estimated jackpot?  

Miller explained the difference between the estimated jackpot and the cash option.

“Say there's an estimated jackpot that's advertised as $100 million and the cash option is $50 million. A jackpot that's advertised as $100 million is paid out to someone over a period of time,” Miller said. “It's paid out over a number of years.”  

When a player chooses the cash option, however, they’ll get their money quicker.  

“They're telling you that if you choose to be paid out all, all right now, you can take $50 million in cash today, but that's all you're going to get," he said.

New Jersey players can remain anonymous

New Jersey is among the states where lottery winners can remain anonymous because of a law enacted in 2020.

But the lottery said that the identity of prize winners is shared with other state agencies because "claims are reviewed for collection of unpaid obligations such as child support, student loan arrearages, and back taxes.”  

What are the top Mega Millions jackpots?  

According to the lottery, the following jackpots are the top 10 jackpots that have been won as of Oct. 4:  

1. $1.602 billion, Aug. 8, 2023; a Florida player  
2. $1.537 billion, Oct. 23, 2018; a South Carolina player  
3. $1.348 billion, Jan.13, 2023; a Maine player  
4. $1.337 billion, July 29, 2022; an Illinois player  
5. $1.128 billion, March 26, 2024; a New Jersey payer 
6. $1.050 billion, Jan. 22, 2021; a Michigan player 
7. $810 million, Sept. 10, 2024; a Texas player 
8. $656 million, March 30, 2012; a player from Illinois, Kansas and Maryland 
9. $648 million, Dec. 17,2013; a player from California and Georgia 
10. $552 million, June 4, 2024; an Illinois player  

How to play the Mega Millions

In order to buy a ticket, you'll have to visit your local convenience store, gas station or grocery store − and in a handful of states, you can purchase tickets online. 

To play, you will need to pick six numbers. Five numbers will be white balls ranging from 1 to 70. The gold Mega Ball is one number between 1 and 25. 

If you believe the odds are against you, ask for a "Quick Pick" or an "Easy Pick," the computer will randomly generate the numbers for you. 

Players can add the "Megaplier" for $1, which can increase non-grand prize winnings by two, three, four or five times. The Megaplier is drawn before the Mega Millions numbers on Tuesday and Friday.

There are 15 Megapiler balls in all:

• 2X, five balls
• 3X, six balls
• 4X, three balls
• 5X, one ball

Where can you buy lottery tickets?

Tickets can be purchased in person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.

You can also order tickets online through Jackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states and territories: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Puerto Rico, Texas, Washington, D.C., and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.

Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. Must be 18+, 21+ in AZ and 19+ in NE. Not affiliated with any State Lottery. Gambling Problem? Call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY); 1-800-327-5050 (MA); 1-877-MYLIMIT (OR); 1-800-981-0023 (PR); 1-800-GAMBLER (all others). Visit jackpocket.com/tos for full terms.