Mega Millions ticket narrowly misses jackpot in California

A Mega Millions ticket in California won $548,195, narrowly missing the $251 million jackpot, lottery officials said.

The ticket matched five winning numbers but not the Mega Ball in the Friday, July 19, drawing, the California Lottery said.

No one won the top prize, estimated to be worth $279 million, with an option for a cash prize of about $131.1 million in the next drawing on Tuesday, July 23, the national website Mega Millions reported.

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The winning numbers were 10, 17, 23, 50 and 67 with a Mega Ball of 3. The Megaplier was 3.

The $548,195 ticket was sold at a Los Angeles supermarket.

Nearly 100,000 other tickets sold in California won prizes ranging from $2 to more than $12,000 in the drawing, the lottery said.

In California, lottery prizes are adjusted based on the number of tickets sold and the number of winners.

The Mega Millions jackpot has not been claimed since June 4, when an Illinois player won the $552 million top prize, lottery officials said.

What You Need to Know About Mega Millions

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

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

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

Drawings take place on Tuesdays and Fridays at 11:00 p.m. ET and can be streamed online.

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