One Mega Millions Ticket Wins $265 Million

UNITED STATES – (PRESS RELEASE) -- A single Mega Millions ticket matched all six numbers in the Tuesday, April 18, 2006 drawing, and now players are checking their tickets to see who won the estimated $265 million jackpot. The jackpot-winning ticket, which was purchased in Cincinnati, Ohio, matched the numbers 13-14-25-34-50 and the Mega Ball number 6.

But the holder of that winning ticket is not the only Mega Millions winner in Tuesday's drawing. More than 1.8 million tickets won prizes ranging from $2 all the way up to the jackpot. A total of 21 tickets came within just one number of hitting the jackpot. They matched the first five numbers and only missed the Mega Ball number. Those tickets were sold in California (2), Georgia (1), Illinois (2), Michigan (1), New Jersey (4), New York (4), Ohio (2), Texas (2), Virginia (1) and Washington (2).

This ranks as the sixth-highest Mega Millions jackpot ever. Mega Millions' largest jackpot ever was on May 9, 2000, when the jackpot for the Big Game (the forerunner of Mega Millions) grew to $363 million. There were two winning tickets in that drawing: one in Michigan and one in Illinois.

Pari-mutuel prizes means that prize amounts vary with the number of tickets sold and the number of winning tickets in each prize category.

The jackpot for the Friday, April 21, 2006 Mega Millions drawing is $12 million.

Mega Millions is played in 12 states: California, Georgia, Illinois, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Texas, Virginia and Washington.

Mega Millions drawings are held Tuesdays and Fridays at 11:00 PM Eastern Time, 10:00 PM Central Time and 8:00 PM Pacific Time.