Won a Mega Millions jackpot? Here's how much taxes you will have to pay for a billion-dollar lottery payout

Mega Millions lottery jackpot: A Mega Millions lottery ticket buyer in Georgia, United States, won the nearly $1 billion jackpot prize on Friday night. However, this mega jackpot brings along a big federal government tax bill for the individual, reported the news portal Forbes on Saturday, 15 November 2025.

According to the news portal's report, six winning tickets were drawn on Friday, 14 November 2025, which were bought from Publix in Newnan, Georgia. The winning tickets were 1, 8, 11, 12, 57 and gold Mega Ball 7.

Odds stood 1 in 290.5 million for someone looking to match all six numbers to win the jackpot. This mega lottery jackpot has been the single highest payout in Georgia lottery history.

Before Friday's jackpot win, the State of Georgia had a winner in Buford in October 2024, who won a $478.2 million jackpot, as per the news report.

How much did the winner get?

The Mega Millions lottery jackpot winner won $980 million or nearly $1 billion from a pool of jackpot, which has been growing since June 2025. In the last lottery winning, an individual from Virginia, United States, won $348 million.

After winning the lottery, the winner will have the choice whether to receive the full $980 million in 30 annual instalments or choose to take a one-time $452.2 million lottery payout.

According to the news portal's report, the lump sum payout method is the preferred option for most winning candidates.

How much tax will you have to pay?

If the winner picks the cash prize, their winnings will drop to nearly $343.7 million, as the individual will have to pay a mandatory federal withholding of 24% on top of the winnings.

The agency report also highlighted that the winning candidate will also attract up to a 37% federal marginal tax rate on top of the $343.7 million left, bringing down the winnings to nearly $284.9 million, depending on the taxable income of the individual.

If the winner decides to take home the one-time payment, they will end up paying $190.8 million in taxes, while taking home $261.4 million, according to the news portal's report.

However, if the winner chooses the lump sum instalment payout route, then the annual payment will come to nearly $32.6 million per year. This annual payout will attract a 37% federal income tax rate, bringing down the winnings per year to $20.5 million.

As the Mega Millions lottery winner is from Georgia, the individual will have to pay the 5.19% flat income tax for the State. The winner will end up paying nearly $23.5 million in taxes, according to the agency report.