South Carolina man wins $2 million on a Mega Millions quick pick
A Florence man has claimed a $2 million Mega Millions prize from a quick pick he bought at the Yana Food Mart on West Palmetto Street, the South Carolina Education Lottery said Thursday.
“I’m so happy,” he told lottery officials. “I’m going to do some things I wasn’t able to do before.”
His ticket matched all five white balls drawn on Tuesday, August 11 (1, 20, 30, 46, and 68) but missed the Mega Ball, 17. It was the only ticket anywhere in the country to hit that prize level that night, according to the official Mega Millions draw results. Nobody hit the jackpot either, and it rolled from $80 million to $90 million for the next drawing.
The base prize for five white balls is $1 million. Since the game went to $5 a play, each ticket carries a random multiplier printed at purchase, and his came up as 2X. That is the most common of the five, at odds of 1 in 2.13, according to Mega Millions. The same numbers with a 10X, which turns up on about 1 ticket in 32, would have paid $10 million. The odds of matching five white balls without the Mega Ball are 1 in 12,629,232.
He is taking some time off. He says he is debt free, working on his to-do list, and still playing Mega Millions. The lottery did not say what day he claimed the prize. South Carolina gives draw-game winners 180 days, so the deadline for this ticket would have been February 7, 2027. Any prize over $100,000 has to be claimed in person at the lottery's Columbia Claims Center.
Yana Food Mart received a $20,000 commission for selling the ticket, 1% of the prize. The Mega Millions jackpot for Friday, September 25 is an estimated $277 million.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where was the $2 million Mega Millions ticket sold in South Carolina?
At the Yana Food Mart on West Palmetto Street in Florence. The quick pick matched all five white balls in the August 11, 2026 drawing, and the store received a $20,000 commission for selling it.
Why was the Mega Millions prize $2 million instead of $1 million?
Every $5 Mega Millions ticket carries a random multiplier of 2X to 10X that applies to all prizes below the jackpot. This ticket drew 2X, the most common one, so the match-five prize doubled to $2 million.
How long do South Carolina players have to claim a Mega Millions prize?
Mega Millions prizes in South Carolina must be claimed within 180 days of the draw date on the ticket. For the August 11, 2026 drawing that deadline is February 7, 2027. Prizes over $100,000 are claimed in person in Columbia.
Jessie Jurado is a news writer who covers new scratch-off launches, state lottery guides, taxes on winnings, news, and much more. She joined ScratchCheck in 2026 and writes the site's state-by-state coverage.
Related Articles
A $6.14 million Lotto America jackpot ticket was sold at a Des Moines QuikTrip
Oct 8, 2026, 4:14 PM EDT
Augusta's $1 million 50X The Money ticket is the game's second top prize in a week
Oct 8, 2026, 11:52 AM EDT
California Lottery reveals two $5 million winners and a $10 million winner all on scratch-offs
Oct 7, 2026, 1:54 PM EDT