Mega Millions Mystery: $349 Million Jackpot Winner In Illinois Still Unknown
Photo caption: Casey’s district manager, Kim Shaw (right), takes a celebratory photo with her staff after selling a winning Mega Millions jackpot ticket worth a whopping $349 million.
CHICAGO, April 3, 2025 – It’s been over a week since a single Mega Millions ticket sold in Illinois won an astonishing $349 million jackpot. Yet, the mystery remains—who is the lucky winner?
The Illinois Lottery is eagerly awaiting the winning ticket holder to step forward and claim their life-changing prize.
This historic win marks the fourth time in nearly four years that an Illinois Lottery player has won a Mega Millions jackpot. It also brings Illinois' total Mega Millions jackpot wins to 16 since the game began in 2002.
The $349 million winning ticket was purchased at Casey’s General Store, located at 70 S. Somonauk Road in Cortland, Illinois, for the March 25, 2025 Mega Millions drawing.
“It’s the talk of the town, and the store is still buzzing with excitement”, said Kim Shaw, Casey’s District Manager. “This is the biggest jackpot-winning ticket our store has ever sold. We're thrilled for the winner, and selfishly, we hope it's one of our regular customers—keeping the winnings in the community would make it even more special."
Casey’s General Store in Cortland also got a piece of the celebration. For selling the winning ticket, the retailer will receive a cash bonus of $500,000.
The Illinois Lottery reminds the winner that they have 12 months from the draw date to claim their prize. To ensure their winnings are protected, the Lottery has three key pieces of advice for the newly minted millionaire:
- Sign the back of the ticket and keep it somewhere safe
- Seek professional financial and legal advice
- Call the Lottery Player Hotline at 1-800-252-1775 to arrange a private appointment to claim the prize
And if you weren’t the lucky winner, don’t worry—another chance awaits! Friday night’s Mega Millions jackpot is an estimated $43 million.
Mega Millions b-roll is available for the media; download here.
Be Smart, Play Smart®. Must be 18 or older to play. Game odds available at IllinoisLottery.com.
About the Illinois Lottery
The Illinois Lottery, founded in 1974, has contributed over $25 billion to the State’s Common School Fund in support of K-12 public education in Illinois since 1985. The Common School Fund is the Illinois Lottery’s primary beneficiary, receiving nearly 99% of Illinois Lottery proceeds. The Illinois Lottery also supports various specialty causes as described in the Illinois Lottery Law (20 ILCS 1605/21.4). For more information about the Illinois Lottery and the causes we support, please visit IllinoisLottery.com.