Mega Millions $494 million jackpot winner

TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) – Two ticket holders won the jackpot prize in Friday night’s Mega Millions drawing, according to the Mega Millions website.

The two tickets were sold in California and Florida. They both exactly matched all six winning numbers: 9, 22, 26, 41 and 44, plus the golden Mega Ball 19.

The jackpot, estimated at $494 million, is the 11th largest in Mega Millions history. The two ticket holders are now sharing the prize, each taking home $247.9 million.

The Friday jackpot winners also become the first two ticket holders to share a Mega Millions grand prize in five years, according to Mega Millions. The last time two jackpot tickets were sold in the same draw was on October 13th, 2017.

Friday’s $494 million jackpot, meanwhile, had been building since Aug. 2 after Illinois ticketholders claimed the historic $1.334 billion jackpot from the previous draw on July 29.

In addition to the jackpot-winning tickets, three other million dollar tickets were sold in New Jersey, North Carolina and Texas. The Texas ticket holder paid extra to play the multiplier, making that particular ticket worth $2 million according to Mega Millions.

The next draw is scheduled for Tuesday, with a starting jackpot of $20 million.