Mega Millions player just misses $800 million jackpot in Washington — but still wins big

A Mega Millions ticket sold in Washington won $1 million and narrowly missed the $800 million jackpot, lottery officials say.

The Washington ticket matched all five winning numbers, but not the Mega Ball, in the drawing Tuesday, Sept. 10, the Washington Lottery said.

A Texas player won the grand prize, which now drops back to an estimated $20 million, with a cash option of approximately $10.1 million, for the next drawing Friday, Sept. 13, the national Mega Millions site said.

The winning numbers were 1, 2, 16, 24 and 66, with a Mega Ball of 6. The Megaplier was 4.

Tickets sold in California, Florida and New York also hit five winning numbers.

More than 2.1 million other tickets sold in the United States won prizes ranging from $2 to $40,000 in the drawing, the lottery said.

The Mega Millions jackpot had previously gone unclaimed since June 4, when an Illinois player hit the $552 million grand prize, lottery officials said.

What to know about Mega Millions

To score a jackpot in the Mega Millions, a player must match all five white balls and the gold Mega Ball.

The odds of scoring a jackpot prize are 1 in 302,575,350.

Tickets cost $2 and can be bought on the day of the drawing, but sales times vary by state.

Drawings are held Tuesdays and Fridays at 11 p.m. ET and can be streamed online.

Mega Millions is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Many people can gamble or play games of chance without harm. However, for some, gambling is an addiction that can ruin lives and families.

If you or a loved one shows signs of gambling addiction, you can seek help by calling the national gambling hotline at 1-800-522-4700 or visiting the National Council on Problem Gambling website.

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