So close: Five Iowa tickets one number short of Mega Millions jackpot

DES MOINES, Iowa (KCRG) - Multiple Mega Millions tickets in Iowa were tantalizingly close to a gigantic payout, according to lottery officials.

Five tickets were one number away from joining a ticket in Illinois to split the $1.337 billion jackpot, based on statistics provided by the Iowa Lottery. The Illinois ticket was the sole one to match all five white numbers and the Mega Ball in Friday’s drawing.

A ticket sold at a Big 10 Mart in Bettendorf matched all five white balls, which is worth $1 million. That player chose the optional Megaplier add-on, which multiplied that prize to a $2 million win.

Four other tickets matched four white balls and the Mega Ball, a combination worth $10,000. One was sold at a Casey’s in Manchester, located at 1305 W. Commercial Street. The others were sold in Newton, Storm Lake, and Mount Pleasant.

Lottery officials said that Iowans purchased over $5.6 million worth of tickets for Friday’s drawing.

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