The winner of a staggering $1.2 billion Mega Millions jackpot has finally come forward, nearly three months after securing the life-changing prize.
Rosemary Casarotti, a woman in her 60s from Shasta County, California, was officially identified last week as the lucky player. She purchased the winning ticket at the Sunshine Food and Gas Circle K in Cottonwood, about 150 miles north of Sacramento, ahead of the December 27 drawing.
Casarotti chose to take the lump sum payout instead of annual installments. While the full jackpot was $1.26 billion, the lump sum value was reduced to $571 million. She will pay a mandatory 24% in federal taxes on her winnings, as required for lottery prizes over $5,000. However, California does not tax lottery winnings at the state level.
Though state law required her name to be made public, Casarotti expressed a desire to keep her personal life private. California Lottery officials said she was grateful for the win, which marks the largest Mega Millions jackpot in the state’s history.
Mega Millions winners have the option of receiving their prize in annual payments. This includes an initial payout followed by 29 yearly checks that increase by 5% each year. Casarotti, like many big winners, chose the immediate cash option.
Following her win, the first Mega Millions jackpot of 2025 was claimed in Arizona. A player matched all six numbers to win $112 million, with a lump sum option valued at $49.95 million.
In a separate Powerball win, Abbas Shafii, 79, from Oregon, also chose the lump sum after winning a $328.5 million jackpot. He took home $146.4 million, forgoing the 30-year annuity option.
These recent wins highlight a strong start to the year for lottery players across the country, with millions of dollars in prizes already claimed.
