By Todd Northrop
Lottery players across the United States will be lining up at lottery retailers for their chance to win Friday's massive $530 million Mega Millions jackpot, after nobody won Tuesday's $475 million grand prize.
The cash value stands at a staggering $343.9 million.
Friday's $530 million Mega Millions jackpot is the 7th-largest in the game's history, and the 15th-largest United States lottery jackpot of all time (see full list below). It's also the biggest since a $1.537 billion Mega Millions jackpot from the October 23, 2018 drawing crowned a single anonymous lottery winner from South Carolina as the world's first lottery billionaire. (See Winner of $1.5 billion Mega Millions jackpot has come forward, Lottery Post, Mar. 4, 2019.)
The lump-sum cash value of $343.9 million is the 13th-largest on the all-time US lottery jackpot cash value list.
The current jackpot run-up started on March 15 as a $40 million grand prize — it has been 2½ months since Mega Millions has had a jackpot winner.
Lottery players wondering what all the cash will look like in their bank account after federal and state taxes are taken out can see an after-tax analysis of the current Mega Millions jackpot by visiting USA Mega's Jackpot Analysis page.
The rush of ticket sales over the next few days likely will propel the jackpot to an even higher amount before the drawing takes place Friday. Lottery Post and USA Mega will update the jackpot tallies displayed if such an increase occurs.
If you're not sure where to buy your tickets, head right over to the Lottery Places website to download the free app on your iOS or Android phone or Windows computer. Lottery Places is the only app on the market that will locate lottery retailers in every state and jurisdiction throughout the United States.
Michigan lottery players can bypass the store completely and buy Mega Millions lottery tickets online. Players outside the USA can play online through a reputable butler service that delivers scanned images of the lottery tickets to verify the ticket purchase and ownership.
In Tuesday night's Mega Millions drawing, there was no jackpot winner, but 5 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $1,000,000 prize: 1 from Arizona, 1 from Colorado, 1 from Connecticut, 1 from Michigan, and 1 from Minnesota.
Only the ticket sold in Colorado was purchased with the Megaplier option for an extra $1 per play, increasing their prize to $2 million because the Megaplier number drawn was 2. The Megaplier multiplies any non-jackpot prize awarded on a ticket by the Megaplier number drawn that evening. The Megaplier option is not available in California, because the fixed nature of the prize increase offered with the Megaplier is not compatible with California's pari-mutuel payouts.
Also, a total of 46 tickets matched four of the first five numbers plus the Mega Ball to win a $10,000 prize. Of those tickets, 8 were purchased with the Megaplier option, increasing the prize to $20,000, and 6 were sold in California, where the prize awarded this drawing is $8,456.
The Mega Millions winning numbers for Tuesday, June 4, 2019, were 25, 37, 46, 48, and 68, with Mega Ball number 25. The Megaplier number was 2.
Following the Tuesday drawing, the Mega Millions annuity jackpot estimate was raised $55 million from its previous amount of $475 million. The cash value was raised by $36.9 million from its previous amount of $307 million.
Mega Millions is currently offered for sale in 44 states, plus Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are Tuesdays and Fridays at 11:00 pm Eastern Time. Tickets cost $2 each.
The Mega Millions winning numbers are published at USA Mega (www.usamega.com) minutes after the drawing takes place.
Top 25 United States lottery jackpots of all time
Friday's Mega Millions jackpot currently stands as the 15th-largest lottery jackpot of all time in the United States. That position may rise before the drawing, as lotteries are typically conservative in their initial estimates, and brisk sales may push the jackpot estimate higher by draw time.
- Powerball: $1.5864 billion, Jan. 13, 2016 (19 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - California, Florida, Tennessee
- Mega Millions: $1.537 billion, Oct. 23, 2018 (25 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - South Carolina
- Powerball: $768.4 million, Mar. 27, 2019 (25 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Wisconsin
- Powerball: $758.7 million, Aug. 23, 2017 (20 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Massachusetts
- Powerball: $687.8 million, Oct. 27, 2018 (21 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Iowa, New York
- Mega Millions: $656 million, Mar. 30, 2012 (18 rollovers, starting at $12 million) - Illinois, Kansas, Maryland
- Mega Millions: $636 million, Dec. 17, 2013 (21 rollovers, starting at $12 million) - California, Georgia
- Powerball: $590.5 million, May 18, 2013 (13 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Florida
- Powerball: $587.5 million, Nov. 28, 2012 (15 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Arizona, Missouri
- Powerball: $564.1 million, Feb. 11, 2015 (20 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Texas
- Powerball: $559.7 million, Jan. 6, 2018 (20 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - New Hampshire
- Mega Millions: $543 million, Jul. 24, 2018 (22 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - California
- Mega Millions: $536 million, Jul. 8, 2016 (34 rollovers, starting at $15 million) - Indiana
- Mega Millions: $533 million, Mar. 30, 2018 (23 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - New Jersey
- Mega Millions: $530 million, Jun. 7, 2019 (24 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Preliminary estimate, not won yet
- Powerball: $487 million, Jul. 30, 2016 (23 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - New Hampshire
- Powerball: $456.7 million, Mar. 17, 2018 (19 rollovers, starting at $15 million) - Pennsylvania
- Mega Millions: $451 million, Jan. 5, 2018 (23 rollovers, starting at $15 million) - Florida
- Powerball: $448.4 million, Aug. 7, 2013 (12 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Minnesota, New Jersey (2)
- Powerball: $447.8 million, Jun. 10, 2017 (19 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - California
- Powerball: $435.3 million, Feb. 22, 2017 (18 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - Indiana
- Powerball: $429.6 million, May 7, 2016 (18 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - New Jersey
- Powerball: $425.3 million, Feb. 19, 2014 (15 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - California
- Mega Millions: $425 million, Jan. 1, 2019 (19 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - New York
- Powerball: $420.9 million, Nov. 26, 2016 (19 rollovers, starting at $10 million) - Tennessee
For those keeping score, the number of jackpots in the top 25, by lottery game, are:
- Powerball: 16
- Mega Millions: 9
Top 25 cash value jackpots
Since many lottery winners collect their winnings in cash, the lump-sum payout is an important measure of what a winning ticket could be worth.
Looking at the cash value, the upcoming Mega Millions jackpot ranks as the 13th-largest cash value in U.S. history.
- Powerball: $983.5 million cash, Jan. 13, 2016 ($1.5864 billion annuity) - California, Florida, Tennessee
- Mega Millions: $877.8 million cash, Oct. 23, 2018 ($1.537 billion annuity) - South Carolina
- Powerball: $480.5 million cash, Aug. 23, 2017 ($758.7 million annuity) - Massachusetts
- Powerball: $476.9 million cash, Mar. 27, 2019 ($768.4 million annuity) - Wisconsin
- Mega Millions: $471 million cash, Mar. 30, 2012 ($656 million annuity) - Illinois, Kansas, Maryland
- Powerball: $396.2 million cash, Oct. 27, 2018 ($687.8 million annuity) - Iowa, New York
- Powerball: $384.7 million cash, Nov. 28, 2012 ($587.5 million annuity) - Arizona, Missouri
- Powerball: $381.1 million cash, Feb. 11, 2015 ($564.1 million annuity) - North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Texas
- Mega Millions: $378 million cash, Jul. 8, 2016 ($536 million annuity) - Indiana
- Powerball: $370.9 million cash, May 18, 2013 ($590.5 million annuity) - Florida
- Powerball: $352 million cash, Jan. 6, 2018 ($559.7 million annuity) - New Hampshire
- Mega Millions: $347.6 million cash, Dec. 17, 2013 ($636 million annuity) - California, Georgia
- Mega Millions: $343.9 million cash, Jun. 7, 2019 ($530 million annuity) - Preliminary estimate, not won yet
- Powerball: $336.8 million cash, Jul. 30, 2016 ($487 million annuity) - New Hampshire
- Mega Millions: $324 million cash, Mar. 30, 2018 ($533 million annuity) - New Jersey
- Mega Millions: $320.5 million cash, Jul. 24, 2018 ($543 million annuity) - California
- Powerball: $284 million cash, May 7, 2016 ($429.6 million annuity) - New Jersey
- Mega Millions: $281.9 million cash, Jan. 5, 2018 ($451 million annuity) - Florida
- Powerball: $279.1 million cash, Jun. 10, 2017 ($447.8 million annuity) - California
- Powerball: $273.9 million cash, Mar. 17, 2018 ($456.7 million annuity) - Pennsylvania
- Powerball: $263.5 million cash, Feb. 22, 2017 ($435.3 million annuity) - Indiana
- Powerball: $258.2 million cash, Aug. 7, 2013 ($448.4 million annuity) - Minnesota, New Jersey (2)
- Powerball: $254.7 million cash, Nov. 26, 2016 ($420.9 million annuity) - Tennessee
- Mega Millions: $254.6 million cash, Jan. 1, 2019 ($425 million annuity) - New York
- Mega Millions: $246.5 million cash, Aug. 11, 2017 ($393 million annuity) - Illinois
The number of cash value jackpots in the top 25, by lottery game, are:
- Powerball: 15
- Mega Millions: 10
Thanks Todd for posting the rankings.
Won $8 in KY; need to check IN and NJ tickets @ some point.
Very nice dollar amount to collect.
Boy do I have some serious plans for that tidy lil sum.
Had the Mega Ball..A couple more ‘no winners’ will put it at $1billion again.
😏don't we all neewollah land or bust !!!
Everyone has plans for that jackpot.
Me too! I keep my detailed spend/invest/gift spreadsheet updated after every draw! (my Powerball spreadsheet looks quite dismal since it has reset back to 40 mill) CDanaT -- I am sure I'm still a cheap skin-flint in your book though.....as my giving is not as generous as yours.
If the winner/s live in a lottery tax free State than he/she will have $216,657,000.00 This includes the 13% tax that will be due by April 15, 2020. Earnings during the rest of the year 2019 will increase the amount of taxes owed.
This cash amount is difficult for me to wrap my mind around it. I will definitely be able to hire the best financial advisers.
Humm..spend/invest/gift spreadsheet! You ready and that’s a good idea.
My first trip would be to Monaco for 30 days..even if I won $40mil
Nice! I wanted there to be no winners, especially from North or South Carolina.
Here's my Powerball sheet for example. I just update the cash value each draw, it auto calculates everything and the new excess rolls to the Tax Free Muni Bond Funds until I manually insert another Real Estate investment or add an investment to what I would give my Brother. All of the blue links in the spreadsheet link directly to the corresponding investment idea or specific real estate.
I certainly admire your charts, BuyLow. You've certainly done your homework and enjoyed going over ALL of it. Wish I had your tenacity when it comes to investing. Did the right thing when I was able to pay off the house in full. Sort of like winning the lottery. LOL
Whatchu talkin bout' Willis?
Thanks -- I know it's putting the cart before the Horse, but I know myself, like to daydream and feel if the Lottery Fairy were to ever strike me with a jackpot win, it would be much easier for me to follow an already written plan rather than get caught up in the moment and do something irrational.