Ben Sanford's $2 Million Mega Millions Prize

Ben Sanford of Davenport, Iowa won a $2 million Mega Millions prize from the July 29, 2022 drawing.

It was not the jackpot: the drawing's jackpot was the $1.337 billion prize won by the single ticket sold in Illinois.

Sanford's ticket won a secondary Match 5 prize.

A family agreement

Ben Sanford regularly bought lottery tickets with his stepfather, Jason Sanford, and that the two had an agreement to share any winnings.

Ben delayed claiming the prize while they prepared for the financial impact.

That kind of arrangement is a useful reminder for family or group players: if people intend to share tickets or prizes, documenting the agreement before a win can reduce uncertainty later.

Connection to the July 29 drawing

The July 29, 2022 drawing was one of the most widely covered Mega Millions events of that year because the jackpot reached $1.337 billion.

Secondary prizes from the same drawing were also significant, and Sanford's $2 million prize belongs in that context rather than being described as a separate jackpot.

Current rules have changed

The 2022 game used the old $2 ticket and optional Megaplier structure. Mega Millions was redesigned in April 2025.

For today's rules, odds and multiplier, see the current Mega Millions guide.