Friday the 13th: A look back at $1.35 billion Mega Millions lottery win on the 'unlucky' date
If you're feeling lucky − or brave − there's a major lottery drawing on Friday the 13th.
Though the number 13 typically is considered unlucky, that date and/or number has made someone a lottery winner before (see below). If a $5 Mega Millions ticket makes you a multimillionaire on Friday, June 13, you'll likely agree with that familiar lottery phrase, 'it could happen to you.'
After no one matched all five numbers plus the Mega Ball in the Tuesday, June 10, Mega Millions drawing, the jackpot jumped $21 million overnight. The next chance to win happens to fall on what some may consider an unlucky date − Friday the 13th − for a cool $264 million prize. The cash option for the Friday, June 13, Mega Millions drawing would be $117.3 million, according to Mega Millions online.
Interestingly, Friday the 13th kicks off a busy holiday weekend − Flag Day is Saturday, June 14, and Father's Day is Sunday, June 15.
Below are times in history that the number 13 or Friday the 13th made someone a big lottery winner.
According to a check on Powerball's site and a robust internet search, the Oct. 31, 2022, drawing was likely the first time the number 13 appeared twice in a Powerball drawing — on Halloween — for a $1 billion jackpot. Largely considered an unlucky number, spooky even, the fact that 13 was pulled twice in a big lottery drawing on Oct. 31 is a fun fact itself.
However, no one was lucky enough to win that grand prize. Until ...
Strangely, a few days after the Oct. 31, 2022, "number 13" Powerball drawing, something odd occurred − again.
On Nov. 2, 2022, the Powerball drawing had an interesting numerical occurrence: The date of the drawing was 11/2/22, the jackpot was for $1.2 billion, and three of the winning numbers contained the date (11, 2 and 22).
Coincidence? You be the judge.
▶ If you have a fear of the number 13 AND Halloween, check out this wacky Powerball story.
▶ One, two, too ... That one time the Powerball winning numbers had a lot of ones and twos.
Yes! A single ticket was purchased in Maine for the Jan. 13, 2023, Mega Millions drawing. The winner remains anonymous through a trust and accepted their winnings of $1.35 billion through the limited liability company LaKoma Island Investments LLC, according to a Feb. 22, 2023, story in USA TODAY.
Jan. 13, 2023, was Friday the 13th. The number 13 typically is referred to as an unlucky number, and it's associated with horror films.
Fun fact: Three tickets purchased in California, Florida and Tennessee won the Jan. 13, 2016, Powerball drawing, splitting $1.586 billion. In 2016, FLORIDA TODAY reported Maureen Smith and David Kaltschmidt bought their winning Powerball ticket at a Publix in Melbourne Beach.
While Jan. 13, 2023, was a Friday the 13th, Jan. 13, 2016, was not (it was a Wednesday). The odds of a billion-dollar jackpot being won on the same date going forward? Likely pretty low.
Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.
This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Friday the 13th: Superstitious date was lucky for Mega Millions winner
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Miami Herald
12 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Mega Millions player misses $302 million jackpot — but wins big in Washington
A Mega Millions player in Washington just missed the $302 million jackpot but won $3 million, lottery officials said. The ticket matched five winning numbers but not the Mega Ball with a 3x multiplier in the drawing Friday, June 20, lottery officials said. A ticket sold in New Jersey won $4 million and one sold in Georgia won $2 million in the drawing. Nobody won the grand prize, which rises to an estimated $326 million, with a cash option of approximately $145.7 million, for the next drawing Tuesday, June 24, the national Mega Millions site said. The winning numbers were 26, 49, 58, 61 and 63 with a Mega Ball of 9, Washington's Lottery said. Nearly 310,000 other tickets sold in the United States also won prizes ranging from $10 to $40,000 in the drawing, the lottery said. The Mega Millions jackpot was last hit April 18, when an Ohio player won the $112 million grand prize, lottery officials said. What to know about Mega Millions To score the jackpot in the Mega Millions, a player must match all five white balls and the gold Mega Ball. The odds of scoring a jackpot prize are 1 in 290,472,336. Tickets cost $5 and can be bought on the day of the drawing, but sales times vary by state. Drawings are held Tuesdays and Fridays at 11 p.m. ET and can be streamed online. Mega Millions is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Miami Herald
12 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Mega Millions player just misses $302 million jackpot — but wins big in Georgia
A Mega Millions player in Georgia just missed the $302 million jackpot but won $2 million, lottery officials said. The ticket matched five winning numbers but not the Mega Ball with a 2x multiplier in the drawing Friday, June 20, lottery officials said. A ticket sold in New Jersey won $4 million and one sold in Washington won $3 million in the drawing. Nobody won the grand prize, which rises to an estimated $326 million, with a cash option of approximately $145.7 million, for the next drawing Tuesday, June 24, the national Mega Millions site said. The winning numbers were 26, 49, 58, 61 and 63 with a Mega Ball of 9, the Georgia Lottery said. Nearly 310,000 other tickets sold in the United States also won prizes ranging from $10 to $40,000 in the drawing, the lottery said. The Mega Millions jackpot was last hit April 18, when an Ohio player won the $112 million grand prize, lottery officials said. What to know about Mega Millions To score the jackpot in the Mega Millions, a player must match all five white balls and the gold Mega Ball. The odds of scoring a jackpot prize are 1 in 290,472,336. Tickets cost $5 and can be bought on the day of the drawing, but sales times vary by state. Drawings are held Tuesdays and Fridays at 11 p.m. ET and can be streamed online. Mega Millions is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Miami Herald
12 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Powerball players win millions in prizes. Where in US were lucky tickets sold?
Powerball players in Minnesota and Tennessee won millions of dollars, just missing the $120 million jackpot, lottery officials say. The tickets matched five winning numbers but not the Powerball in the drawing Saturday, June 21, the national Powerball site said. The Minnesota ticket won $1 million, while the Tennessee ticket also hit the Power Play multiplier to win $2 million. Nobody won the grand prize, which rises to an estimated $128 million, with a cash value of about $57.6 million, for the next drawing Monday, June 23, the site said. The winning numbers were 3, 16, 32, 52 and 62, with a Powerball of 24. The Power Play multiplier was 3x. More than 435,000 other Powerball tickets sold in the United States also won prizes ranging from $4 to $150,000, the lottery said. The Powerball jackpot was last won May 31, when a California player hit the $204.5 million grand prize. What to know about Powerball To score a jackpot in the Powerball, a player must match all five white balls and the red Powerball. The odds of scoring the jackpot prize are 1 in 292,201,338. Tickets can be bought on the day of the drawing, but sales times and price vary by state. Drawings are broadcast Saturdays, Mondays and Wednesdays at 10:59 p.m. ET and can be streamed online. Powerball is played in 45 states, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
