Biggest Mega Millions jackpot in a year
68 tickets just missed winning the jackpot
By Todd Northrop
This is the time when both lottery regulars and casual players jump in with both feet.
The Mega Millions lottery jackpot has entered into the top 25 jackpots of all time, now sitting at number 17. It is the kind of top prize that makes people do a double-take at the cash register and throw down some extra bucks for a shot at glory.
And not only is the annuity jackpot nearing the top of the charts, but the cash value is blowing the lid off at a whopping $205.5 million.
This is the largest Mega Millions jackpot since March 25, 2011, when seven state workers from Albany, New York, won a $319 million Mega Millions jackpot (see $319M lottery winners revealed, Lottery Post, March 31, 2011).
But this time the lump-sum cash value is almost $3 million higher than the $202.9 million won a year ago by the seven co-workers from Albany.
The mammoth prize to be offered Friday is the result of 16 draws without a winner. The run-up started as a $12 million prize on Jan. 27.
The winning numbers for Tuesday, March 20, 2012 were 1, 4, 6, 11, and 14, with Mega Ball number 30. The Megaplier number was 4.
Even though nobody won the jackpot Tuesday, an astonishing 68 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $250,000 prize: 21 from California, 1 from Idaho, 1 from Illinois, 2 from Indiana, 3 from Kentucky, 1 from Maryland, 3 from Massachusetts, 9 from Michigan, 2 from Missouri, 5 from New Jersey, 8 from New York, 2 from Ohio, 2 from Pennsylvania, 1 from South Carolina, 1 from Tennessee, 4 from Texas, 1 from Vermont, and 1 from Wisconsin.
The 21 California winners will each be awarded prizes of $56,382, because California awards all prizes in a pari-mutuel formula, which calculates the prize amount based on the number of tickets sold and the number of winners in each prize category. Even though the total prize pool for the second prize was $1,184,022, the fact that there were an unprecedented 21 winners made each winner's cut less than normal.
The unusual number of second prize winners is likely due to the fact that all of the first five numbers were less than 31 — "birthday numbers", in lottery lingo. Since one of the most popular ways to play the lottery is to pick numbers based on birthdays of family members, lottery drawings containing all low numbers normally produce many winners.
The amazing thing is that none of those 68 tickets matching the first five numbers matched Mega Ball number 30 — it too being a birthday number.
The winning numbers for Friday's Mega Millions lottery drawing will be published at USA Mega (www.usamega.com) right after the drawing takes place at 11:00 PM Eastern Time.
USA Mega is one of the few lottery Web sites with a robust technology backbone that keeps it running strong, even when massive player traffic melts down other state lottery Web sites.
The site provides lottery players in-depth information about the United States's two biggest multi-state lottery games, Mega Millions and Powerball.
Lottery players who want to see the Friday's Mega Millions after-tax jackpot amount for both the annuity and cash value can visit USA Mega's Jackpot Analysis page, which calculates the tax withholdings for every state that offers Mega Millions.
USA Mega is the originator of the Jackpot Analysis feature.
Top 25 United States lottery jackpots of all time
Friday's Mega Millions jackpot currently stands as the 17th-largest lottery jackpot of all time in the United States. That position may rise before the drawing Friday night, as lotteries are typically conservative in their initial estimates, and brisk sales may push the jackpot estimate higher by draw time.
If nobody wins Friday, it's anyone's guess how high it will go.
- Mega Millions: $390 million, Mar. 6, 2007 - Georgia, New Jersey
- Mega Millions: $380 million, Jan. 4, 2011 - Idaho, Washington
- Powerball: $365 million, Feb. 18, 2006 - Nebraska
- The Big Game: $363 million, May 9, 2000 - Illinois, Michigan
- Powerball: $340 million, Oct. 19, 2005 - Oregon
- Powerball: $336.4 million, Feb. 11, 2012 - Rhode Island
- Mega Millions: $336 million, Aug. 28, 2009 - California, New York
- The Big Game: $331 million, Apr. 16, 2002 - Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey
- Mega Millions: $330 million, Aug. 31, 2007 - Maryland, New Jersey, Texas, Virginia
- Mega Millions: $319 million, Mar. 25, 2011 - New York
- Mega Millions: $315 million, Nov. 15, 2005 - California
- Powerball: $314.9 million, Dec. 26, 2002 - West Virgina
- Powerball: $314.3 million, Aug. 25, 2007 - Indiana
- Powerball: $295.7 million, Jul. 29, 1998 - Indiana
- Powerball: $295 million, Aug. 25, 2001 - Delaware, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Hampshire
- Mega Millions: $294 million, Jul. 2, 2004 - Massachusetts
- Mega Millions: $290 million, Mar. 23, 2012 (preliminary estimate, not won yet)
- Powerball: $276.3 million, Mar. 15, 2008 - West Virgina
- Mega Millions: $275 million, Feb. 22, 2008 - Georgia
- Mega Millions: $270 million, Feb. 28, 2006 - Ohio
- Mega Millions: $266 million, May 4, 2010 - California
- Mega Millions: $265 million, Apr. 18, 2006 - Ohio
- Powerball: $261.6 million, Jun. 2, 2010 - Ohio
- Powerball: $261.3 million, Jul. 9, 2003 - Missouri, Pennsylvania
- Powerball: $259.9 million, Aug. 19, 2009 - South Carolina
For those keeping score, the number of jackpots in the top 25, by lottery game, are:
- Mega Millions: 12
- Powerball: 11
- The Big Game: 2
The Big Game is the original name of Mega Millions, from the game's first drawing on Sep. 6, 1996 through May 14, 2002. The name was changed to Mega Millions starting with the May 17, 2002 drawing.
Wow....68 winners! Why does California always have the most 5/6 winners! I am sure the population in New York is larger than California. Congrats to all of the 5/6 winners. Too bad California is pari-mutual. $56,000 compared to $250,000 for states other than California....still not bad for a $1.00 investment.
Because, they don't have the powerball and that's there big game? Either way I wish everyone here at Lottery Post the best of luck Friday!
I thought for sure someone won that last night! Wow! I'd like to see it roll one more time! Rock n roll MM!
lol @ Piaceri .......
I haven't even checked my tickets yet ........ but from some of this morning's comments ........
I wouldn't be suprise to see it break 300 by friday
$205.5 million cash! Now that is getting downright exciting!
All low numbers last night. What about this Friday, all high numbers. That's the $290 Million dollar question.
We need to cool ourselves off, re-think, re-strategize and get back in the game to bring down this giant!
All low numbers last night. What about this Friday, all high numbers.
I was wondering that same thing. I had 2 numbers on one line and the MB on another on my $5 qp.
It makes your head spin thinking about that enormous JP!
$290 million that's what i'm talking about.....
Congrats to the 68 winners.............
My head spun so much it flew away like a Frisbee, I'm still looking for it this morning. Problem is my eyes are still attached to my head, so I'm
having to use a blind man's cane to track it down. Worth it though, $290 Million will get my head to stop from spinning once it's direct deposited
into several of my new bank accounts.
The list shows this is number 17 on the list of biggest all time winners. The cash option is almost $206 million. I think this makes it the 6th biggest prize ever for the cash option.
California has had the largest population for a long time !
California: 37,253,956
Texas: 25,145,561
New York: 19,378,102
And now the $133,575,000 after 35% Federal Taxes goes to Pennsylvania's first big Mega Millions winner!
I'm more impressed with the 68 winners, then the jackpot. Thats a 17mill payback. I think someone was right about the birthday numbers. I see one of those was sold thirty mins from me. Who is the lucky dog.
Thanks for the info Dploy 1! Good luck on Friday!
You are very welcome!
Thank you for the "Good luck" wishes and good luck to you also!
1 big winner of the Green on Friday!