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One lucky Georgia resident just became a millionaire — 450 times over.

The Georgia Lottery announced Tuesday that the $983 million jackpot winner from the Nov. 14 Mega Millions drawing came forward Friday, Jan. 2 to claim the largest lottery prize in Georgia history.

The winner selected the cash option, which amounts to $453.6 million before taxes.

Although the winner opted to remain anonymous, as permitted by Georgia law, they shared some special details, including that they are from Georgia and have family members who have benefited from the Georgia Lottery-funded HOPE Scholarship, according to a release from the Georgia Lottery.

"We are thrilled to celebrate Georgia's record-breaking jackpot winner and their life-changing start to the new year," Lottery Corp. president and CEO Gretchen Corbin Corbin said. "This historic jackpot was also significant for Georgia's students, families and communities who benefit from HOPE and Pre-K. We congratulate our winner and appreciate the support of our players and retail partners during this exciting jackpot run."

According to the winner, they play the Georgia Lottery regularly to support HOPE and Pre-K. They saw the big jackpot on a Georgia Lottery billboard, which reminded them to buy what turned to be the lucky, $453-million ticket.

When they heard there was a jackpot winner, they said they checked the Georgia Lottery website for the winning numbers and saw the astonishing results.

The winner said they plan for the prize to be generational and to give back to good causes. They are thankful to be in a position to give.

The Quik Pik ticket was sold at the Publix on North Highway 29 in Newnan, which resulted in a large reward for the ticket seller. Any Georgia Lottery retailer selling a winning Mega Millions jackpot ticket can earn a $50,000 retailer incentive bonus payment.

The historic payout surpassed the previous record held when one Powerball ticket sold in Buford for the Oct. 23, 2024, drawing won a $478.2 million jackpot. Two individuals shared that prize and selected the cash option of $230.6 million.

Mega Millions drawings are held Tuesdays and Fridays at 11 p.m.

Since its first year, the Georgia Lottery Corp. has returned more than $30.2 billion to the state of Georgia for education. All Georgia Lottery profits go to pay for specific educational programs, including Georgia's HOPE Scholarship Program and Georgia's Pre-K Program. More than 2.25 million students have received HOPE, and more than 2.2 million 4-year-olds have attended the statewide, voluntary prekindergarten program.

Preiss has sold Market 100, a 532-bed student housing community in Statesboro, Ga. RDG Student Housing, a division of Redeeming Development Group, acquired the asset.

JLL Capital Markets arranged the sale and led financing efforts. The buyer obtained a three-year acquisition loan from Bayview Asset Management.

This marks the company’s first student housing acquisition. At the time of sale, the property was 97 percent occupied.

The asset previously traded in January 2010, when Preiss acquired it from Lowe Enterprises in a bankruptcy sale, Yardi Matrix data shows. The firm paid $6.3 million for it.

Sitting on almost 15 acres at 100 Bermuda Run Road, Market 100 is within walking distance of the Georgia Southern University campus and adjacent to several retail options, as well as 2 miles from Allen E. Paulson Stadium. Statesboro’s city center is within 3 miles.

READ ALSO: Why Student Housing Scores High Marks

The community comprises 13 two-story buildings completed in two phases in 1991 and 1997. The unit mix consists of two-, three- and four-bedroom floorplans ranging from 766 to 1,230 square feet. Apartments have walk-in closets, as well as private balconies and patios and bed-to-bath parity in most layouts.

Common-area amenities include a swimming pool, sand volleyball court, clubhouse, computer lounge and fitness center. The community also has an entertainment center, billiards table and a basketball court.

JLL’s Student Housing Capital Markets Managing Directors Teddy Leatherman and Scott Clifton, as well as Director Kevin Kazlow, led the team representing the seller. JLL’s Debt Advisory Senior Directors Jayme Nelson and Dan Kearns were part of the team that worked on behalf of RDG.

Student housing investment holds steady despite decrease

Year-to-date as of September, 76 student housing assets changed hands nationwide, totaling $3.7 billion, according to a Yardi Matrix report. This figure was smaller compared to the 94 student housing sales and $5 billion registered during the same period last year.

While the average price per bed slipped to $98,000 compared to $107,000 a year earlier, pricing remains elevated relative to pre-2024 levels—an indication that values are holding firm even as large portfolio trades have tapered off.

Earlier this year, Preiss acquired and capitalized two student housing development sites in Knoxville, Tenn., and Raleigh, N.C. The company will develop them in partnership with Monarch Alternative Capital and will serve the University of Tennessee and North Carolina State University.

Saturday will be last of 2025 season that was dedicated to late Deborah Thompson

In a post earlier this week on the TMT Farms Facebook page, siblings Tyler Thompson and Jennifer Thompson McCranie announced the 2025 Christmas lights drive-thru display would be the last one.

“We appreciate everyone that has come out, over the last 25 years, and helped us help others,” the Dec. 23 post began. “Our mission wouldn’t have been possible without you.

“With that being said, December 27th, 2025 will be our last night … permanently. We always knew this day would come and it is now time. The death of our mother, the decline in our father’s health, due to his stroke and the expense to keep it up and running has brought us to this decision.

“Come out and see us one last time! Always remember ‘It’s Christmas in the heart that puts Christmas in the Air.’

God Bless each of you and we hope you have a very Merry CHRISTmas!”

So, TMT Farms is set to shine one last time – Saturday evening, beginning at 6 p.m. As always, the location is a stretch of farm roads with the central address 16710 Old River Road North in northern Bulloch County.

TMT patriarch Roy Thompson continues to recover from a recent stroke and the 2025 season has been dedicated in memory of Deborah Thompson, his beloved wife, who passed away in July after a long battle with cancer.

Deborah and Roy Thompson, married for 57 years, owners of the successful small business Statesboro Floor Covering, started the holiday tradition more than 25 years ago. Their daughter Jennifer and son Tyler, along with their spouses and children have made it a family effort.

With help from friends and, some years, volunteers from various organizations, the Thompsons began months early each year to transform the family farm into a Christmas wonderland.

Through many in-kind donations and special purchases over the years, the two-mile-long exhibit became a mix of sacred and secular Christmas classics, Americana and local history – the nativity scenes keeping Christ in Christmas – but also antique farm equipment, wagons, sleighs, Santas, inflatable animals, mannequins and replicas of historical Bulloch County landmarks such as Snooky’s restaurant, Henry’s barbershop and the vanished Pav-a-lon and pool from the mid-20th century Fair Road Park.

And, new for 2025, at least 65 to 75 displays from Guido Gardens’ in Metter “of all kinds of shapes and sizes,” as Tyler Thompson described them, will now be visible to the public again, but in Bulloch County instead of Candler.

In keeping with tradition, the display has no admission charge except a requested donation of long-shelf-life canned or packaged food items; a new, unwrapped toy for a child who might not have many; pet food for the animal shelter or cash that will be used to purchase gift cards for families or individuals with emergency needs.

Coming off an 8-5 season and with plenty of key returning starters there were high expectations for the 2025 season for the Georgia Southern football team. With coach Clay Helton signing a 5-year extension those expectations were even higher.

Injuries and a defense ranked among the worst in all of college football combined to see the Eagles look as though their streak of three consecutive bowl games may come to a close. With their backs to the wall, the Eagles were able to pull off wins against their three biggest rivals and then punched their ticket to the dance with a win in the final game of the season at Marshall.

The reward for earning their fourth-straight bowl berth is a rare rematch against Appalachian State Monday in the JLab Birmingham Bowl. Just getting an opponent for the Eagles was a tough chore for the bowl committee as Notre Dame opting out of the post season started a domino effect, which saw at least six teams who were 5-7 turn down an opportunity to play the Eagles, which surprised Helton.

“Bowl games are important,” Helton said. “You have 136 teams in college football and we are all fighting to make it to the postseason. Bowl games are a part of college football history. I remember as a player and now as a coach how special these things are and the memories you make with a bowl experience.”

One reason for the teams turning down the chance to play in the bowl was that many teams had players who had left campus and made plans assuming there was no post season. That was true of Appalachian State, as well, but after talking to some of his departed seniors coach Dowell Loggains decided to accept the bowl bid and have a rematch with his rivals from Statesboro.

Unfortunately, Loggains' team is far from the same one who played GA Southern or even ended the regular season as plenty of his players opted to not participate in the bowl game. Among the losses are the first- and second-string quarterbacks who are reportedly in the transfer portal which is reflected in the point spread in the game that went from the Eagles being a slight favorite to the current line of Georgia Southern by seven points.

“We had players with surgeries scheduled and some had planned family vacations planned,” Loggains said. “I talked with some of our seniors and they were excited about the chance to play one more time and especially against Georgia Southern.”

The Eagles will look to become the first team to beat an opponent in the regular season, and again in the bowl game.

“We know how special this game is and the opportunity to do something that has never been done,” Helton said. “This is another chance for these seniors to leave a legacy. They became the first Georgia Southern players in history to play in four-straight bowl games and now they have a chance at winning a ring.”

For quarterback J.C. French, the bowl game is a chance for him to make amends for the difficulties he had in last year’s New Orleans Bowl loss to Sam Houston State, where he had four interceptions.

“I am just going to try and work my tail off to be ready and to trust in my guys,” French said. “I am going to try and lean more on our playmakers and the offensive line to make plays and not try and force anything. I feel like we have a had a chance to get our players healthy and that should really pay off in the bowl game.”

Darius Safford will continue to be the interim defensive coordinator at the Birmingham Bowl, although the Eagles new defensive coordinator Mike Mutz is expected to be in Birmingham as well.

“Coach Safford has been great,” said Eagle defensive back Tracy Hill Jr. “He has helped give us some new excitement and we have his back no matter what.”

Georgia Southern and Appalachian State are scheduled for a 2 p.m. start on Dec. 29. The game will air on ESPN.

Location: Statesboro, Ga. Game 12 vs. Georgia Southern: Thursday, Dec. 18 @ 5 p.m. Follow the Action: X | Instagram

ATLANTA – The Georgia State women's basketball team (4-7, 0-0 SBC) opens their conference slate in Statesboro, facing the Georgia Southern Eagles (7-3, 0-0 SBC). The Panthers and Eagles are set to tip off on Sunday, Dec. 18, at 5 p.m. inside the Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center.

SERIES HISTORY Georgia State trails the all-time series, holding a 28-32 record across 60 meetings, but the Panthers have momentum entering the matchup with a current two-game winning streak. The rivalry has featured stretches of dominance on both sides, including Georgia State's longest win streak of seven games from February 22, 2016, to March 9, 2019. The series has been tightly contested in recent years, with the teams splitting the last 10 matchups at 5-5. Home-court advantage has played a role throughout the series, as Georgia State is an even 15-15 in Atlanta, while posting a 12-14 mark in Statesboro, along with a 1-3 record at neutral sites. The most recent meeting came on March 6, 2025, when Georgia State earned a 70-64 victory. Across the series, GSU has combined a total of 2,476 points, with an average of 68.78 points per game.

BETWEEN THE LINES The Georgia Southern Eagles enter Thursday's matchup carrying strong momentum, boasting a 7-3 overall record and riding a six-game winning streak as they open conference play in Statesboro. Georgia Southern has been especially strong at home, posting a 5-1 mark inside the Jack and Ruth Ann Hill Convocation Center. Georgia Southern has been tested early against high-level competition, including a matchup with nationally ranked No. 5 LSU. The Eagles share common opponents with the Panthers this season, as both programs faced Furman and Wofford. Georgia Southern earned wins over both, defeating Furman 72-56 at home and Wofford 58-52 on the road, while Georgia State also picked up victories against Wofford (75-68) and narrowly fell to Furman (89-90) in Greenville. The Eagles are led by graduate guard Destiny Garrett, who was named the Sun Belt Conference Player of the Week following the first week of December. Garrett leads Georgia Southern in both scoring (16.5 points per game) and assists (42), serving as the engine of the Eagles' offense

CRYSTAL CLEAR Junior leader Crystal Henderson was named to the 2025-26 Preseason All-Sun Belt Second Team following a stellar 2024-25 campaign. Henderson started all 33 games for the Panthers, leading the team in assists (128, 3.9 pg), steals (79, 2.4 pg), minutes played (1,163, 35.2 pg) and assist-to-turnover ratio (1.42). She finished second on the team in scoring with 379 points (11.5 ppg) and recorded 20 double-digit games, including four 20+ point performances. Henderson led the Sun Belt in minutes per game, ranked second in the conference in steals and steals per game, and finished fourth in assists and assist-to-turnover ratio.

Henderson was also named 2023-24 Sun Belt Freshman of the Year after leading all Sun Belt freshmen in scoring, steals and assists, and finishing top five in assists among all freshmen in the NCAA during the 2023-24 season. Henderson's honors marked the third Freshman of the Year honors in program history, and the first since the 2016-17 season.

SUN BELT DOMINANCE The Panthers continue to assert their dominance within the Sun Belt as they continue through the 2025–26 nonconference slate. Georgia State ranks fourth in the SBC in free throws made per game (14.18), with Morgan Robinson-Nwagwu leading the charge. Robinson-Nwagwu sits second in the conference in total free throws made (41) and ranks seventh in free-throw percentage (80.4%). The Panthers rank third in the Sun Belt in steals per game (13.2) and third in turnovers forced per contest (22.27). At the center of Georgia State's success is Crystal Henderson. Henderson ranks second in the SBC in total assists (49), assists per game (4.5) and field goals made (70), while also sitting second in total points (182). She ranks third in points per game (16.5) and logs heavy minutes, ranking second in minutes per game (32.77). Henderson also contributes defensively, ranking sixth in the conference in total steals (25)

FRESH FACES Georgia State welcomes six new faces to the roster for 2025-26, including two freshmen and four transfers ready to make an impact. Freshmen Savannah Robinson-Holmes and Grace Lanier bring youthful energy and potential, while transfers Ana Luiza Ramos Pires (Garden City CC), Nari Powers (Salt Lake CC), Ari Dyson (Trinity Valley CC) and ACC Power Four standout Gabbie Grooms brings collegiate experience and depth to bolster the Panthers' lineup.

SO INTERNATIONAL Georgia State's roster features international flare with Finland native Monna Julkunen and Ana Luiza Ramos Pires from São Paulo, Brazil. A returning sophomore, Julkunen brings experience in Blue and White after appearing in 24 games last season. Pires joins the Panthers as a transfer from Garden City Community College, where she started nearly every game over two seasons.

HOLLOMAN HONORS Graduate student Cheyenne Holloman was named a 2026 Kay Yow Servant Leader Award recipient, recognizing her dedication to service and leadership beyond the court. Presented by the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, the award honors collegiate athletes who exemplify the values of legendary NC State coach Kay Yow, whose legacy continues through the fund's mission to advance cancer research and support women impacted by the disease.

HISTORIC SEASON OPENER Georgia State opened the season in historic fashion Monday night, defeating Oglethorpe 108-59 at the GSU Convocation Center. The performance ranked third all-time in GSU history for both steals (26) and points (108) in a single game, marking one of the most dominant outings in program history.

SINCE '08 Crystal Henderson lit up the court in Georgia State's season opener against Oglethorpe, pouring in 24 points. That performance marks the first time since 2008 that a player has scored 24 or more points in a GSU season opener.

LANIER LEGACY Grace Lanier etched her name into the record book with a standout performance against the FIU Panthers. The freshman posted her first collegiate double-double and shattered the GSU single-game steals record with 10 steals. She surpassed the previous mark of nine, set by Jylisa Williams against Delaware State on Dec. 21, 2008.

For the latest updates on the season, including ticket information and game details, please visit www.georgiastatesports.com and follow us on social media @gsu_wbasketball.