NJ lottery players just miss $980M Mega Millions jackpot. Here’s where, how much they won

One ball. Just one little ping pong ball bouncing a different way.

That’s how close three New Jersey lottery players (two from Bergen County) came to winning Friday’s $980 million Mega Millions jackpot, which was won in Georgia.

The New Jersey Lottery announced on Saturday, Nov. 15 that three tickets matched four of the five white balls and the Mega Ball to win prizes on the $10,000 base level. With the built-in multiplier, the lottery players won $20,000 and $30,000.

Here’s where the winning tickets were sold:

• $30,000 – sold at Freshmart on Woodbridge Avenue in Highland Park (Middlesex County)
• $20,000 – sold at 7-Eleven on Rivervale Road in River Vale (Bergen County)
• $20,000 – sold at To Go Mini Market on Cedar Lane in Teaneck (Bergen County)

Georgia player wins Mega Millions

A lottery player in Georgia won the estimated $980 million Mega Millions jackpot on Friday, Nov. 15, according to the Mega Millions website. 

Only one ticket matched all six numbers to win the eighth largest Mega Millions jackpot ever and the 14th largest US lottery jackpot (see lists below).

The Georgia Lottery announced the winning Quik Pik ticket was sold at a Publix supermarket on Highway 29 in Newnan, Ga. It is the 16th time the Mega Millions has been won in the state.

Mega Millions winning numbers for 11/14/25

The Mega Millions winning numbers for Friday, Nov. 14, 2025 were: 1 – 8 – 11 – 12 – 57 and Megaball 7.

Looking for an edge? These Mega Millions numbers are drawn the most

What are the Top 10 Mega Millions jackpots?

Here are the Top 10 Mega Millions jackpots ever:

1. $1.602 billion, Aug. 8, 2023: Won in Florida
2. $1.537 billion, Oct. 23, 2018: Won in South Carolina
3. $1.348 billion, Jan. 13, 2023: Won in Maine
4. $1.337 billion, July 29, 2022: Won in Illinois
5. $1.269 billion, Dec. 27, 2024: Won in California
6. $1.128 billion, March 26, 2024: Won in New Jersey
7. $1.05 billion, Jan. 22, 2021: Won in Michigan
8. $980 million, Nov. 14, 2025: Won in Georgia
9. $810 million, Sept. 10, 2024: Won in Texas
10. $656 million, March 30, 2012: Three winners in Illinois, Kansas, Maryland 

What was largest U.S. lottery jackpot ever?

Here’s a look at the top jackpots won in the United States, between the Powerball and the Mega Millions lotteries:

1. $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 7, 2022: Won in California
2. $1.787 billion, Powerball, Sept. 6, 2025: Won in Missouri and Texas
3. $1.765 billion, Powerball, Oct. 11, 2023: Won in California
4. $1.602 billion, Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023: Won in Florida
5. $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016: Three winners in California, Florida, Tennessee
6. $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018: Won in South Carolina
7. $1.348 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2022: Won in Maine
8. $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022: Won in Illinois
9. $1.326 billion, Powerball, April 6, 2024: Won in Oregon
10. $1.269 billion, Mega Millions, Dec. 27: Won in California
11. $1.128 billion, Mega Millions, March 26, 2024: Won in New Jersey
12. $1.08 billion, Powerball, July 19, 2023: Won in California
13. $1.05 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 22, 2021: Won in Michigan
14. $980 million, Mega Millions, Nov. 14, 2025: Won in Georgia
15. $842.4 million, Powerball, Jan. 1, 2024: Won in Michigan
16. $810 million, Mega Millions, Sept. 10, 2024: Won in Texas
17. $768.4 million, Powerball, March 27, 2019: Won in Wisconsin
18. $758.7 million, Powerball, Aug. 23, 2017: Won in Massachusetts
19. $754.6 million, Powerball: Feb. 6, 2023: Won in Washington
20. $731.1 million, Powerball, Jan. 20, 2021: Won in Maryland