Who won the $1.13 billion Mega Millions jackpot? Why we may never know

(NEXSTAR) — It finally happened: Someone was able to match the six winning numbers to score the Mega Millions jackpot, which had reached an estimated $1.13 billion ahead of Tuesday night’s drawing.

The winning ticket was sold in New Jersey, marking the state’s 24th Mega Millions jackpot-winning ticket on record. It’s also New Jersey’s first jackpot win in nearly four years.

While we know the ticket was sold at ShopRite Liquor in Neptune Township (which will receive $30,000 just for selling that ticket) and that it’s worth roughly $1.13 billion or $537.5 million in cash (a total that could change after sales from every jurisdiction have been finalized), there’s still one question everyone is asking: Who won the Mega Millions jackpot?

That fact we may never know.

New Jersey is one of a few states that allows lottery winners to remain anonymous. If you are holding the jackpot-winning ticket while reading this, you should know that, according to the New Jersey Lottery, you do need proper identification to claim the prize, and for tax purposes.

“Your identity will not be made available to the public unless you agree in writing to allow us to do so,” the New Jersey Lottery writes in its winner’s guide. “Under New Jersey law, winners of New Jersey Lottery games will remain anonymous unless they waive this right.”

While the guaranteed level of anonymity for the winner may be less than ideal for curious minds, it may bring a sigh of relief to the ticket holder.

You can imagine what this might feel like for someone who just found out they’re about to become a millionaire or billionaire. Friends, family, and even complete strangers may be inclined to try and siphon away the money.

“They will want to try to separate you from your new lottery winnings, and that happens often,” Robert Pagliarini, author of “The Sudden Wealth Solution,” previously told Nexstar. To avoid that situation, he recommends building a team — an attorney, tax advisor and a financial advisor — around you to insulate yourself.

Pagliarini also encouraged keeping the victory a secret for as long as possible. Share the news only with one trusted family member at first, and remain out of the public eye when possible.

Not every state allows their jackpot winners to remain anonymous. In California, for example, disclosure laws require the lottery to share the winner’s full name and where they bought the ticket.

Because of those disclosure laws, it was known within a few months that Edwin Castro had won the nation’s largest lottery jackpot — a $2.04 billion Powerball prize — in 2022. We also know that he has purchased at least two homes in the Los Angeles area since landing that victory.

Of the last five Mega Millions jackpots claimed by tickets sold in New Jersey, three have opted to remain anonymous.

One of those winners, Richard Wahl, had no choice but to come forward when he won a $533 million Mega Millions jackpot in 2018. At the time, the New Jersey Lottery Commission required winners of such large payouts to accept their winnings publicly.

As for the newest Mega Millions jackpot winner, we may never know their identity.

While winners no longer need to accept winnings publicly, New Jersey still requires that such large prizes be claimed in person. The winner also has one year to claim their jackpot.

If you aren’t the lucky jackpot winner, there is still a record-setting Powerball jackpot up for grabs. As of Wednesday, that jackpot sits at an estimated $865 million. The Mega Millions jackpot, however, will now reset to $20 million for the next drawing.