Giving back on the horizon for California jackpot winner Drawing Date: 1/28/2022 June 8, 2022 - The California Lottery is thrilled to announce the state’s biggest jackpot winner so far in 2022. Kristine Wellenstein hit the $426 million Mega Millions® jackpot with the ticket she purchased at a Chevron station in Woodland Hills (Los Angeles County) back in January. Her ticket was the only one in the entire country to match all six numbers! “When I realized I’d won, I was overcome with so many emotions, but mostly gratitude,” said Wellenstein. Wellenstein considers herself a private person and is not interested in speaking publicly. She is, however, interested in being a good steward of her newfound wealth. "I want to give back and support local and global-based initiatives, and my team is in place to help achieve those objectives,” she said. “The real impact of my life’s work begins now." Wellenstein’s win concluded a jackpot sequence that began in October of 2021 and rolled 27 times! Sales for the entire sequence in California totaled $110.3 million, which means California’s public schools get an estimated $40 million just from this jackpot run. Wellenstein has opted to take the lump sum as a result of her win. The Chevron station where she bought the lucky Mega Millions ticket is at 6061 Topanga Canyon Boulevard; that store gets the maximum $1 million bonus for selling the winning ticket.