Would you rather have $ 1 to spend , or $ 1.49 billion ? For winners in three states , all it took was a dollar to cash in and reap the rewards of Friday 's record-setting Mega Millions jackpot . By picking the same winning numbers -- 2 , 4 , 23 , 38 , 46 with a Mega Ball of 23 -- they earned an equal share of the $ 656 million jackpot , which amounts to about $ 218 million each , before taxes , under the annuity option . Lottery players dished out a cumulative $ 1,491,082,267 since the game 's last big winner emerged in late January . Except for a few smaller payouts , all that worked out to next to nothing . `` Oh Mega Millions , why do you shun me ? '' a Twitter user mused on the social networking site , echoing the angst felt by many nationwide as it dawned on them that they were among the losers . `` Dear news updates on my phone , stop rubbing it in that I did n't win the mega millions ! ! ! '' said another . In fact , nearly as many dollars were spent on tickets Friday alone than ended up being given away . Kelly Cripe , a spokeswoman for Texas state lottery that is currently overseeing Mega Millions , said the day 's sales in the 42 states plus the District of Columbia and the Virgin Islands , where the game is played , added up to $ 651,915,940 . While lotteries are nothing new in the United States and beyond , the frenzy leading up to Friday night 's drawing -- much like the jackpot itself , which was the largest pool potentially for any single winner -- was unprecedented . People stood in long lines at convenience stores , dreaming of what they 'd buy , how they 'd quit their jobs and how their lives would change with the help of Lady Luck . It ended up being a boon to many state coffers -- who reap some of the money from lottery sales -- not to mention those selling the tickets . At Manhattan Tobacco , a New York convenience store , cashier Alex Shanahe said that sales had tripled . `` Everybody wants to win the Mega Millions , '' Shanahe said before the drawing . Many came convinced that they could beat the roughly 176 million-to-one jobs and take home the prize . But only three did . They included a person who , around 7:15 p.m. Friday night , came to a 7-Eleven store in Baltimore , Maryland , and paid $ 1 for a `` quick pick '' of one line of numbers -- which ended up exactly matching those pulled less than four hours later . It 's not know if the identity of that person will ever be known , as Maryland Lottery Director Stephen Martino noted that the state does not require its jackpot recipients to do publicity , as some other states do . Winners can also remain anonymous in Kansas , that state 's lottery director Dennis Wilson said . Security officials know the precise location where the ticket was sold , but that information had n't been released -- even to Wilson . The state lottery has only said the winning ticket came from somewhere in northeastern Kansas . And the town of Red Bud , Illinois , located about 35 miles south of St. Louis , was buzzing Saturday with news that one of its own bought a ticket at a Moto Mart . `` We 're having a great time , '' the store manager , Denise Metzger , told CNN affiliate WGN . `` The people in town are having a good time trying to speculate who it is or hoping it 's still them . The atmosphere has just been sensational . '' While no one has yet stepped forward to claim the prize , Wilson had some advice for the winner or winners : Sign the back of the ticket . Put it someplace very safe . And talk to a lawyer before coming in for what will be a life-changing experience . While only three tickets hit the big jackpot , at least 42 matched five of six numbers -- 29 in California , 12 in Illinois and one in Kansas , according to lottery officials . California Lottery Commission spokesman Alex Traverso said the payout on those tickets will be about $ 125,000 to $ 130,000 . Still , that 's practically petty cash compared to the rewards reaped by the three still anonymous jackpot winners . Psychologist Scott Bea said if any one of them is a poor money manager and has been unhappy in life before winning , that 's likely to continue . `` It solves one problem , but it creates a half-billion others , '' he said . `` You have about no chance at winning this , but it really gets people excited . ''
Mega Millions tickets worth $ 651,915,940 were sold Friday , a company spokeswoman said . That 's more than 1/3 the $ 1,491,082,270 in sales since the previous week . The three big winners bought their tickets in Kansas , Missouri and Illinois . That gives them an equal share of the $ 1 million jackpot .