A Virginia lottery winner has claimed the Mega Millions prize of $348 million, the largest lottery payout ever awarded in the state, choosing the one-time cash option of $155.6 million instead of the annual annuity. The anonymous winner bought the ticket at the E & C VA convenience store in Burgess on June 27 and stepped forward to claim the prize about four weeks later at the lottery’s Richmond office.
Virginia law allows winners to stay anonymous if the prize value meets certain thresholds or if the ticketholder signs a consent to disclose identity. In practice, 18 states protect jackpot winners’ identities, though some vary by prize size. The Burgess store received a $50,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.
Virginia has produced 10 Mega Millions winners since the game began in 2002. The previous Virginia Mega Millions record was held by retired truck driver JR Triplett, who won $239 million in 2004 and took a lump sum of about $140 million before taxes. The current Mega Millions jackpot has not been hit since the June 27 drawing and stood at about $277 million as of mid-August.
Alongside the Mega Millions news, the lottery notes the game’s price increase from $2 to $5 earlier in the year as part of a redesign intended to offer larger prizes for non-jackpot tiers, better odds to win the jackpot, and a higher starting jackpot of $50 million. The Virginia lottery also announced a $1 million Powerball prize in the latest drawing, after a Virginia player matched all five white balls. Powerball’s top prize has surged to $950 million, a year-high and the sixth-largest top prize in Powerball history.
Additional context: The winner’s choice of cash versus annuity means immediate funds, but taxes will apply, and opting for anonymity protects personal privacy in many states. The broader trend of higher ticket prices and redesigned prize structures aims to attract players while delivering larger single prizes on occasion.