Texas Player Claims $2M Mega Millions Prize

After no ticket matched all six numbers, the Mega Millions jackpot has climbed to an estimated $680 million (about $318.2 million cash) following a run that began with a June 27 Virginia win. A San Marcos resident claimed a $2,000,028 second‑tier prize from the Oct. 14 drawing by matching all five white balls on a Quick Pick; the built‑in multiplier doubled the $1 million prize to $2 million, and the same ticket also won $28. The win is the first second‑tier Mega Millions prize claimed in Texas since an April overhaul of the game. The April changes reduced the Mega Ball field to 24, raised the cost per play to $5, replaced the Megaplier with a built‑in random multiplier that guarantees non‑jackpot prizes of at least $10 and can boost payouts up to 10x, slightly improved the jackpot odds to roughly 1 in 292 million, and expanded non‑jackpot payouts to a $10–$10 million range. The next drawing is scheduled later this week as the jackpot continues to grow.