Public Education’s Lucky Day
Lottery Reveals Winner’s Name at Cottonwood Retailer Where the Winning $1.2+ Billion Ticket Was Sold
RELEASE DATE: 3/17/2025
COTTONWOOD – Today, March 17, 2025, the California Lottery announced the name of the only winner of the $1.2+ billion jackpot from a ticket sold at the Sunshine Food and Gas Circle K in Cottonwood, just off Interstate 5 in Shasta County. Rosemary Casarotti bought the ticket for the December 27, 2024, Mega Millions® draw and was the only person in the entire country to match all six numbers.
Casarotti declined to participate in the press conference to announce her name. Beyond what was disclosed by statute as part of the public record, the Mega Millions winner told Lottery officials respectfully that she wishes to remain as private as possible.
“We offer Rosemary our heartfelt congratulations for her historic win and our gratitude for her part in supporting the California Lottery’s mission to provide extra money for public education in our state,” said California Lottery Director Harjinder Shergill Chima. “Because of this historic jackpot win, the California Lottery was able to raise an estimated $89.5 million for public schools. On this lucky day, we are so excited to celebrate that!”
Casarotti elected to receive her prize as a lump sum, valued at more than $571 million less federal taxes.
“I had the pleasure of speaking with Rosemary by phone following her win, and I can tell you with certainty how grateful she is and how happy she is to have won this money and to have supported public schools,”” said California Lottery spokesperson Carolyn Becker.
The Circle K is taking home a big win as well, receiving the maximum retail bonus of $1,000,000 for selling the jackpot-winning ticket. As Becker pointed out during the news conference, 95% of every dollar spent on California Lottery games returns to the community in the form of prize payments, school funding, and retailer compensation. For this jackpot sequence, more than 23,000 California Lottery retail partners collectively earned an estimated $14.1 million in incentives and bonuses.
“It’s an amazing feeling to know that our store played a part in making Lottery history,” said Ishar Gill at the news conference. His family owns and operates the Circle K store where the winning entry was sold. “Our customers are the heart of our business, and we’re grateful to be a part of such an amazing community.”
A self-supported state agency, the California Lottery has earned more than $46 billion for public schools across the state. From kindergarten to the CSU and UC systems and every level in between, Lottery funding – while a very modest portion of the overall state budget for education – the California Lottery supports materials and programs that might not otherwise be available for students in the state any other way.
For nearly a quarter century now, the California Lottery has provided in excess of $1 billion annually, supporting a diverse set of programs. From performing arts and dance programs to sports and technical training programs, the California Lottery provides critical extra funding.
“The California Lottery provides extra money for materials and programs that make student’s dreams and futures a reality in so many ways,” said Becker. “The mission of the California Lottery is truly the driving force behind the work we all do as an organization.”
On the same day that Rosemary Casarotti won the jackpot, 842,841 other winning tickets were sold, including two wins of more than $787,000 for matching five numbers, missing only the Mega Ball chosen by Casarotti. Over this draw sequence, retailers sold over 4.6 million winning tickets, with an associated prize value of $27 million in addition to the $1.22 billion win.
Additional video, including b-roll as well as audio from Director Shergill Chima and Deputy Director Becker is available for download and broadcast via the following download links:
Harjinder K Shergill Chima – Director, California Lottery
Carolyn Becker - Deputy Director Public Affairs & Communications, California Lottery
Ishar Gill – Director of Operations, Sunshine Food & Gas Circle K, Cottonwood
Carolyn Becker – Conference Q&A
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