In the Lone Star State, some lucky Mega Millions patrons just scored some generational wealth with a Mega Millions jackpot ticket. Per a recent article after nearly 30 drawings, a “incredibly lucky player” finally won the Mega Millions jackpot. The game’s drawing last week saw a single ticket purchased in Texas correctly match all winning numbers, including white balls 1, 2, 16, 24 and 66, along with the gold Mega ball 6. Fact-checked in the same article, the grand prize marks the seventh largest jackpot from Mega Millions but only the third win for the year so far. Matching the numbers earlier this month, the fortunate player won the mind-blowing $800 million jackpot. Moreover, the cash options is $404.2 million, which is a far cry from the $800 sum but undoubtedly a life-changing windfall.
For this article, SBS will go over the latest gaming updates coming from the Lone Star State along with more notes and info regarding Texas betting updates and more.
Also noted in this article, the single winning ticket in Texas was purchased at Murphy USA 8848 in Sugar Land. The latest Mega Millions jackpot marked the largest prize ever won from the game for the month of September. Additionally, the $800 million jackpot represented the seventh-largest Mega Millions grand prize in the history of the game. While life-changing, the jackpot is only the third one for the year. Before the win in Texas, the last time a Mega Millions jackpot was won was in Illinois on June 4th. At the time, a single ticket purchased via the Illinois Lottery’s mobile application matched all winning numbers for a sweet $552 million windfall.
Additionally, the only other jackpot in 2024 so far was won in New Jersey back in March. On March 26th, one ticket matched the staggering $1.128 billion jackpot at the time. While it has now been several months since that win, no player has claimed the prize yet. Moreover, under existing laws in Texas, lottery players who win $1 million or more can retain anonymity. This means that the identity of the lucky winner, whoever that may be, may remain a secret forever.
Also noted in the report, prior to the drawing that produced a jackpot winner earlier this month, some 1.7 million winning Mega Millions tickets were produced. However, the continuously growing jackpot attracted more lottery players and Tuesday’s drawing saw some 2,109,736 winning tickets within the different prize tiers.
In addition to the jackpot prize, four fortunate players matched five winning numbers for a $1 million second-tier prize. As a result, a player in California, New York, Florida and Washington won $1 million each. A total of 47 players matched four winning white balls along with the gold Mega ball. Out of that total, 37 collected the standard prize of $10,000 each, while 10 lucky players paid for the Megaplier option, bringing them a $40,000 payday each.
Per another article, according to a presentation by Sands chief lobbyist Andy Abboud, high-end casinos will have a $13 billion economic impact in Texas while adding 70,000 permanent jobs and 185,000 construction jobs. The increased lobbying and community outreach are showing positive signs for Sands. Glenn Hamer, president and CEO of the TAB, says there’s broad support for casino gambling in the forums. He also added, “Supporters of destination gambling clearly have the momentum.”
Dallas City Council Member Chad West attended one meeting. He says he has no personal interest in gambling but nonetheless realizes it’s time for the region to prepare for the possibility of casino expansion. “I’m personally not a gambler, and I don’t really want to be. But I do think it’s an industry that has an incredible economic impact opportunity. I unequivocally believe Texas will legalize gambling, and because of that, I think we have a fiduciary duty as representatives to be prepared for that.”
Arlington Mayor Jim Ross is also on board. He says most roundtable attendees favor letting Texas voters decide whether they want retail casinos. If a referendum were to come to voters, there’s a good chance it would pass. In January 2023, a 2023 poll by the Hobby School of Public Affairs at the University of Houston found that 75% of Texans were in favor of gambling expansion in the state. Meanwhile, the NTC plans to start an exploratory committee to focus on how gambling would affect the region. Moreover, one source believes that retail casinos won’t be finalized in 2025.
Once you are all dialed in regarding the latest gaming news coming from the Lone Star State, make sure to check out the awesome array of information for you at SBS. Of course, for even more analysis on the state covered here, make sure to peruse the sports betting in Texas guide which goes over all of the most updated gaming information coming from the state. Additionally, if you are looking to maximize your wagers, look no further than the best bonus betting sites rundown. On this page, you can find a great array of information like a catalog of the latest and greatest welcome bonus offers available to you. Finally, for those on the go, the best betting apps breakdown is a fantastic page to peruse to get all up to speed on mobile betting sites.
About the Author
Chris Boline is a Reno-based business development professional and freelance sports writer with over a decade of experience covering the NBA G League, Los Angeles Chargers, and national football and basketball. His expertise spans the NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and motorsports, along with topical news, marketing, and promotional content. A proud University of Nevada graduate, Chris earned both his BS in Management & Economics (2015) and MBA (2023). He is active in the Reno community, serving on boards such as the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET, and the College of Business Alumni Association, where he was past president (2022–23). Notable honors include: - Two-time University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year honoree (2017, 2021) - 2021 NCET Professional Services Organization of the Year (with TAC) - 2016–17 Reno Bighorns MVP, awarded by the Sacramento Kings - Nevada Press Association Award for Best Sports Column (2015) - Former Editor-in-Chief of The Nevada Sagebrush Chris blends his passion for sports with a strong background in sales, marketing, and community engagement.
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