It just might be a Merry Christmas for some lucky lottery players.
The Mega Millions jackpot soared to an estimated $1 billion (yes, $1 billion with a “B”) on Friday night after a string of drawings with no big winners.
The next drawing is scheduled for Tuesday night at 11pm ET.
The Mega Millions jackpot, the seventh-largest prize in lottery history, has been growing for more than three months, reflecting the long odds of winning the top prize of 1 in 303 million. The last time someone hit the jackpot was on September 10th, when a Texas player won $800 million.
The $1 billion prize will be awarded to the only winner who chooses to be paid through an annuity with 30 annual payments. Winners almost always prefer the cash option, with an estimated $448.8 million in the next drawing on Tuesday night.
Mega Millions is played in 45 states, Washington DC, and the US Virgin Islands. Drawings take place every Tuesday and Friday at 11pm ET.
Mega Millions top jackpots:
Amount Date Winning Ticket $16.02 billion 8/8/20231-FL$15.37 billion 10/23/20181-SC$13.48 billion 1/13/20231-ME$13.37 billion 7/29/20221-IL$11.28 billion 3/26/20241-NJ$1.050 1 billion 1/22/2021 – MI$1 billion (estimated) 12/24/2024 – $810 million September 10, 2024 – Texas $656 million March 30, 2012 3 – Illinois; Kansas, Maryland $648 million 12/17/20132 – California, Georgia
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Council on Problem Gambling at 1-800-522-4700 to speak with a counselor. Help is also available from the online peer support forum at www.gamtalk.org. Additionally, additional resources can be found on the NCPG website.
Mega Millions by the numbers
Forty-five states and Washington, D.C. participate in the Mega Millions drawing. Find out which states hit the most jackpots and which numbers appear most often.
