Winning Ticket for 3rd-Largest Lottery Jackpot Sold at Kroger

The winning ticket for the Jan. 22 Mega Millions jackpot of $1 billion was purchased at a Kroger store in Novi, Michigan. 

For selling the winning ticket, the store — located at 47650 Grand River Avenue — will receive a $50,000 flat-rate commission once the prize has been claimed, as reported by the Detroit Free Press. However, it's unclear whether the commission will go directly to the local retailer or to The Kroger Co. 

“Kroger congratulates the individual who purchased a winning Mega Millions lottery ticket at our location in Novi, Michigan," a Kroger representative said in a short statement.

The Novi Kroger now holds the distinction of selling the third-largest lottery jackpot ever won in the United States. According to the Mega Millions Lottery, the national and world record for a lottery jackpot was $1.586 billion back in 2016, when the Powerball jackpot was split between three winning tickets (California, Florida and Tennessee).

Mega Millions tickets in Michigan may be purchased online and at the lottery’s 10,500 retailers around the state until 10:45 p.m. the day of the drawing.

The Jan. 22 winning numbers were 04-26-42-50-60 and the Mega Ball 24. The winner will have two options to collect the record prize. The first is an escalating annuity that offers an initial payment, and then annual payments for 29 years. The player also may select a one-time cash payment of about $739 million, equating to about $530 million after tax withholdings.

Cincinnati-based Kroger employs nearly half a million associates who serve 9 million-plus customers daily through a seamless digital shopping experience and 2,800 retail food stores under a variety of banner names. The company is No. 3 on The PG 100, Progressive Grocer’s 2020 list of the top food and consumables retailers in North America.