Illinois Player Claims Massive $536 Million Mega Millions Jackpot

CHICAGO - An Illinois Lottery player who bought her ticket online has come forward to claim a $536 million Mega Millions jackpot, the agency announced Tuesday, marking the first Mega Millions jackpot claimed in 2026.

The winner, who is remaining anonymous under the nickname “Lucky Lady,” purchased the ticket through the Illinois Lottery’s iLottery platform for the March 10 drawing, the lottery said March 18 in Chicago. The Illinois Lottery described the prize as the second-largest ever won by an online lottery player in the United States.

“I didn’t even plan to play that day—I had actually tried to buy a ticket online a week earlier, but I forgot to finalize the purchase,” the winner said with a laugh. “I even joked with my boss that day, saying, ‘It wasn’t meant to go through.’”

The Illinois Lottery said “Lucky Lady” selected a Quick Pick and reshuffled the numbers several times before settling on a set that included her favorite number.

“Once I saw my favorite number, 16, I stuck with it,” she said.

The ticket matched all five numbers — 16, 21, 30, 35, 65 — and Mega Ball 7 to win the $536 million jackpot in the March 10 Mega Millions drawing, according to the lottery.

Even after receiving a confirmation email and a notification through the Illinois Lottery app, the winner said the news did not immediately feel real.

“I couldn’t believe it. I was shaking and telling myself, ‘This can’t be real,’” she said. “I had my daughter call one of the claim centers to confirm, but it still feels unreal.”

The Illinois Lottery said the win marked the fifth time an Illinois Lottery player has won the Mega Millions jackpot in nearly five years. It also noted that the largest online lottery prize remains a $552 million Mega Millions jackpot won in June 2024, also by an Illinois Lottery player.

“Lucky Lady” said she plans to use the money to pursue family goals.

“I’ve always dreamed of buying a new family house with a swimming pool,” she said. “We’re also planning a family meeting soon, so a cruise or maybe even a trip to Vegas could definitely be on the table.”

The Illinois Lottery said the state benefited during the jackpot roll period that began Dec. 5, 2025, when more than $34 million in ticket sales generated over $13 million for the Common School Fund to support K-12 education in Illinois.

Mega Millions is played every Tuesday and Friday night. Tickets cost $5 and include a randomly assigned multiplier that improves all winning non-jackpot prizes by 2X, 3X, 4X, 5X or 10X. The jackpot for Friday night’s drawing is estimated at $50 million.

More like this:

Winning $1 Million Powerball Ticket Sold In Chicagoland

Mar 12, 2026

Southern Illinois Woman Wins $1 Million Lotto Jackpot Using Numbers Her Mother Gave Her

Apr 8, 2026

Winning $5.6 Million Illinois Lotto Ticket Sold in Belleville

Mar 24, 2026

Illinois Mother Wins $800,000 Lucky Day Lotto Jackpot Using Children’s Birthdays

Mar 26, 2026

Winning $1 Million Powerball TIcket Sold In Forest Park

Feb 6, 2026