Record $1.2 billion lottery ticket sold in Northern California, officials announce

COTTONWOOD, Calif. - Imagine winning a $1.2 billion jackpot, an amount that makes up the gross domestic product of some small countries.

On Monday, state lottery officials announced the winner of a record jackpot of more than $1.2 billion, the largest Mega Millions jackpot in state history.

California Lottery officials gathered at the Sunshine Food and Gas Circle K in Cottonwood, off Interstate 5 in Shasta County, where the ticket was sold.

They stood in front of the lucky retailer to announce that Rosemary Casarotti was the only person in the entire country to hit all six numbers in the Mega Millions drawing back on Dec. 27, 2024.

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What we don't know:

Casarotti declined to share any information about herself and opted not to appear for the announcement, but officials said they spoke with her by phone several times following her win.

What they're saying:

"I can tell you with certainty how grateful she is and how happy she is to have won this money and to have supported public schools," said California Lottery spokesperson Carolyn Becker. 

By the numbers:

Officials said Casarotti elected to receive her prize as a lump sum, valued at more than $571 million before federal taxes. 

Retailer wins big

Also a big winner was the Circle K that sold Casarotti her ticket. 

The store received the maximum retail bonus of $1 million for selling the winning ticket. 

School funding 

The California Lottery, which generates funding for the state’s public schools, said the record jackpot win brought in an estimated $89.5 million for schools. 

State lottery officials noted 95 cents of every dollar spent on California Lottery games goes back into the community in the form of prize payments, school funding, and retailer compensation. 

Ishar Gill, whose family owns and operates the Circle K store that sold the lucky ticket, said that selling lottery tickets has been good for the business and expressed excitement about being a part of lottery history. 

"It's exciting to see how much enthusiasm our customers have for the games. They love the chance to dream big, and this win added to the excitement around here," Gill said. "Our customers are the heart of our business, and we’re grateful to be a part of such an amazing community." 

This story was reported in Oakland, Calif.