The Illinois Lottery announced record results of $2.89 billion revenue in the first nine months of 2024, including sales of $1.8 billion and estimated returns to the State of Illinois of $468 million, for the first nine months of the 2024 fiscal year.

The $1.34 billion Mega Millions jackpot was won by an Illinois resident on a single ticket bought in Des Plaines, Illinois. The winning ticket ended up being shared by two players, who split the largest prize ever won in Illinois.

In total, Illinois Lottery players collected almost $1.2 billion in prizes (excluding the Mega Millions jackpot) during the first six months of the year. This includes 32 Illinois players who won prizes of $1 million or more.

During the half-year, the Illinois Lottery’s responsible gaming program was recognized for demonstrating industry best practice. The Lottery’s program received the highest level of certification from both the World Lottery Association Responsible Gaming Framework and the North American Association of State and Provincial Lotteries. 

“Ensuring we offer our players a responsible playing environment is at the foundation of everything we do at the Illinois Lottery,” said Mays. “We are proud to see our efforts validated as best practice by industry bodies. But our work doesn’t stop here. We believe in continuous improvement and will continue to build our approach to responsible gaming to support our players and retailers.”