GREAT FALLS - The Montana Lottery conducted an "early bird" drawing at 10 a.m. on Friday for a big prize in its annual Montana Millionaire event.
The Montana Lottery hosts two such "early bird" drawings each year ahead of the end-of-year grand prize drawing.
The winning ticket number in Friday's drawing for a $25,000 prize is 269399. There is no word yet on where the winning ticket was sold.
The $100,000 drawing was on November 25; the winning ticket for that prize was #080647, and it was sold in the town of Laurel.
There have also been dozens of "instant win" tickets with prizes of up to $500.
The drawing date for the three big prizes (two for $1M, one for $100K) will be between Dec. 26, 2022, and Jan. 1, 2023; the exact date has not yet been determined.
The 280,000 tickets for this year's event — priced at $20 each — went on sale Nov. 1 at many convenience stores, gas stations, and grocery stores across the state; all tickets were sold in less than 30 hours.
Previous winners of the Montana Millionaire grand prize are:
- 2020: Megan Thorstenson, Butte
- 2019: Casey Petero, Columbia Falls
- 2018: Richard Mai, Billings
- 2017: Amy Lambert, Butte
- 2016: Daniel Thompson, Great Falls
- 2015: Jack Barisich, Winnett
- 2014: Jeffrey Fallang, East Helena
- 2013: Russell Miller, Columbia Falls
- 2012: Sam Polesky, Laurel
- 2011: Vern & Mara Wallace, Billings
- 2010: William Morse, Billings
- 2009: Dana Delguerra, Great Falls
- 2008: Mike & Carole McGivern, Butte
- 2007: Gary & BJ Klipstein, Billings
Last year's two winning million-dollar tickets were sold in Butte and Missoula. Due to a change in legislation, the Montana Lottery is no longer allowed to release names of Montana Millionaire winners unless they have given consent.
