News writer
A Columbus lottery player just rewrote Mississippi Match 5 history. The winning ticket from Wednesday night's drawing captured a record-breaking $1.2 million jackpot.
This win shatters all previous records for the game. The ticket purchased at 69 Mart in Columbus matched all five winning numbers: 1-3-11-21-34.
Breaking records left and right
How significant is this win? The previous Match 5 record stood at $905,168. That ticket was sold at Sprint Mart #4136 in West Point on February 7, 2023. This new jackpot destroys that mark by nearly $300,000.
The jackpot had been rolling since April 12, 2025, when someone claimed $141,000. That's 52 consecutive drawings without a winner. Each drawing pushed the prize higher.
Mississippi Match 5 launched in April 2021. Wednesday's drawing marked the 1,005th time players tried their luck. Only one question remains: Who holds the golden ticket?
What makes this win special?
Jeff Hewitt, President of the Mississippi Lottery Corporation, called it "an incredible win." He's right. Mississippi Match 5 is the state's exclusive draw game. Players can only buy tickets in Mississippi.
The winner has 180 days to claim their prize. That deadline gives them time to plan. Should they take the lump sum or annual payments? Smart money says to get professional advice first.
How does Match 5 work?
Playing Mississippi Match 5 is simple. Pick five numbers from 1 to 35. Tickets cost $2. Drawings happen three times per week.
Want to boost your winnings? Add the Multiplier addon for $1 more. This feature multiplies non-jackpot prizes by 2, 3, 4, or 5 times. The system randomly assigns your multiplier number.
Here's a bonus: Play with the Multiplier and match just two numbers, and you win free Quick Pick tickets equal to your multiplier number. Hit two numbers with a 3x multiplier? You get three free tickets for the next drawing.
Players can also choose Multi-Draw. Buy tickets for up to 21 consecutive drawings. Each play costs $2, or $3 with the Multiplier addon.
What's next for Match 5?
Tonight's drawing resets the jackpot to $50,000. The 9:30 p.m. CT drawing gives players another shot at Mississippi lottery history.
Will lightning strike twice in Columbus? Probably not. But someone will eventually claim the next big prize.
Other jackpots worth watching
While Mississippi celebrates its Match 5 winner, other jackpots continue growing. Friday's Mega Millions jackpot reaches $223 million. The cash value? $99.4 million.
Saturday brings two more chances. Powerball offers $44 million ($19.7 million cash). Lotto America sits at $37.4 million ($16.75 million cash).
That Lotto America jackpot deserves attention. It's the second-largest in the game's history. The record? $40.03 million won in Iowa on April 1, 2023.
The bottom line
Mississippi Match 5 just proved why players love the game. A $2 ticket turned into $1.2 million. The winner beat the odds, broke records, and made history.
Who knows? The next record-breaker might be reading this right now. The question isn't whether someone will win big again. The question is when.
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