Did anyone win the $1.22B Mega Millions jackpot?

WASHINGTON — The fifth largest jackpot in Mega Millions history was up for grabs Friday night as Americans dreamt of a massive Christmas-week present.

The prize swelled to an estimated $1.22 billion for Friday’s drawing after no one hit the jackpot on Christmas Eve. If won at that level it would be the largest December prize in the lottery game’s history.

The jackpot has been growing since Sept. 10, when it was last won at $810 million in Texas. The Christmas Eve drawing did produce several million-dollar winners.

Only three Mega Millions jackpots have been won so far this year including a $1.13 billion winning ticket that was purchased in New Jersey in March. That prize was just claimed earlier this week. We likely may never know who won because winners in New Jersey have the option to remain anonymous. The top Mega Millions jackpot ticket — $1.6 billion — was sold in Florida in August of last year.

“We know that many people will likely receive tickets to Friday’s drawing as holiday gifts, and what a gift that would turn out to be if you ended up with a ticket worth a $1.15 billion jackpot,” Joshua Johnston, lead director for the Mega Millions Consortium said in a statement Wednesday.

The winning numbers for Friday’s drawing were: 3-7-37-49-55 − 6 MegaBall, with 3x MegaPlier.

When a winner matches all five numbers and the Mega Ball, they have the option to take the full jackpot paid out as an annuity over 30 years, or a lump sum cash payout of roughly half the size. Winners almost always take the cash option.

Players who match only the first five numbers win at least $1 million.