5th-largest US jackpot of all time
By Todd Northrop
The changes made in October have put the "Mega" back into Mega Millions.
Ever since the United States lotteries tweaked the rules to the multi-state Mega Millions game starting Oct. 22, its jackpot has been on a quick ascendency and has now become the 5th-largest US jackpot of all time.
When no player matched all five numbers plus the Mega Ball Tuesday night, the jackpot estimate for Friday night's Mega Millions drawing was raised to $400 million, with a lump-sum cash option of $216.4 million.
That pegs the annuity jackpot as the 5th-largest United States lottery jackpot of all time, and the cash option as the ninth-largest. (See the full list of top-25 United States annuity and cash lottery jackpots below.)
Lottery players can see an after-tax analysis of the current Mega Millions jackpot by visiting USA Mega's Jackpot Analysis page.
Friday's Mega Millions jackpot is the accumulation of 20 consecutive drawings without a top prize winner. The current jackpot run-up started on October 4 as a $12 million grand prize — it has been more than two months since Mega Millions has had a jackpot winner.
Players should note that jackpot amounts are conservative estimates provided by the lotteries, and are often somewhat higher by the time the drawing occurs.
In the latest Mega Millions drawing that took place this past Tuesday night, there was no jackpot winner, but 5 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $1,000,000 prize: 1 from Connecticut, 1 from Massachusetts, 1 from New Jersey, and 2 from Ohio.
None of the five second-place winners purchased their ticket with the Megaplier option for an extra $1 per play. If they had, their prize would have been doubled to $2 million, because the Megaplier number drawn was 2.
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. By law, California awards all prizes on a pari-mutuel basis, meaning the prizes will change each drawing based on the number of tickets sold and the number of tickets that won at each prize level.
A total of 87 tickets matched four of the first five numbers plus the Mega Ball to win a $5,000 prize. Of those tickets, 11 were sold in California, where the prize awarded this drawing is $5,574.
The Mega Millions winning numbers for Tuesday, December 10, 2013, were 5, 12, 22, 41, and 65, with Mega Ball number 13. The Megaplier number was 2.
Following the Tuesday drawing, the Mega Millions annuity jackpot estimate was raised $56 million from its previous amount of $344 million. The cash value was raised by $32.4 million, from its previous amount of $184 million.
Mega Millions is currently offered for sale in 43 states, plus Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are Tuesdays and Fridays at 11:00 pm Eastern Time. Tickets cost $1 each.
A 44th Mega Millions state may be added in early 2014, as the state of Wyoming has approved a new state lottery with the intention of joining multi-state lottery games. (See Wyoming officially becomes 44th state with a lottery, Lottery Post, Mar. 14, 2013.)
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 5th-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.
- Mega Millions: $656 million, Mar. 30, 2012 - Illinois, Kansas, Maryland
- Powerball: $590.5 million, May 18, 2013 - Florida
- Powerball: $587.5 million, Nov. 28, 2012 - Arizona, Missouri
- Powerball: $448.4 million, Aug. 7, 2013 - Minnesota, New Jersey (2)
- Mega Millions: $400 million, Dec. 13, 2013 - Preliminary estimate, not won yet
- Powerball: $399.4 million, Sep. 18, 2013 - South Carolina
- 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: $338.3 million, Mar. 23, 2013 - New Jersey
- Powerball: $337 million, Aug. 15, 2012 - Michigan
- 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. 25, 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
- Powerball: $276.3 million, Mar. 15, 2008 - West Virgina
For those keeping score, the number of jackpots in the top 25, by lottery game, are:
- Mega Millions: 9
- Powerball: 14
- 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.
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 9th-largest cash value in U.S. history.
- Mega Millions: $471 million cash, Mar. 30, 2012 ($656 million annuity) - Illinois, Kansas, Maryland
- Powerball: $384.7 million cash, Nov. 28, 2012 ($587.5 million annuity) - Arizona, Missouri
- Powerball: $370.9 million cash, May 18, 2013 ($590.5 million annuity) - Florida
- Powerball: $258.2 million cash, Aug. 7, 2013 ($448.4 million annuity) - Minnesota, New Jersey (2)
- Mega Millions: $240 million cash, Jan. 4, 2011 ($380 million annuity) - Idaho, Washington
- Mega Millions: $233.1 million cash, Mar. 6, 2007 ($390 million annuity) - Georgia, New Jersey
- Powerball: $224.7 million cash, Aug. 15, 2012 ($337 million annuity) - Michigan
- Powerball: $223.3 million cash, Sep. 18, 2013 ($399.4 million annuity) - South Carolina
- Mega Millions: $216.4 million cash, Dec. 13, 2013 ($400 million annuity) - Preliminary estimate, not won yet
- Mega Millions: $214 million cash, Aug. 28, 2009 ($336 million annuity) - California, New York
- Powerball: $211 million cash, Mar. 23, 2013 ($338.3 million annuity) - New Jersey
- Powerball: $210 million cash, Feb. 11, 2012 ($336.4 million annuity) - Rhode Island
- Mega Millions: $202.9 million cash, Mar. 25, 2011 ($319 million annuity) - New York
- Mega Millions: $194.4. million cash, Aug. 31, 2007 ($330 million annuity) - Maryland, New Jersey, Texas, Virginia
- Mega Millions: $185 million cash, Nov. 15, 2005 ($315 million annuity) - California
- The Big Game: $180 million cash, May 9, 2000 ($363 million annuity) - Illinois, Michigan
- Powerball: $177.3 million cash, Feb. 18, 2006 ($365 million annuity) - Nebraska
- Powerball: $170.5 million cash, Dec. 25, 2002 ($314.9 million annuity) - West Virginia
- Mega Millions: $168 million cash, July 2, 2004 ($294 million annuity) - Massachusetts
- Mega Millions: $167.7 million cash, Feb. 22, 2008 ($275 million annuity) - Georgia
- Powerball: $166 million cash, Aug. 25, 2001 ($295 million annuity) - Delaware, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Hampshire
- Mega Millions: $165.2 million cash, May 4, 2010 ($266 million annuity) - California
- Powerball: $164.4 million cash, won Oct. 19, 2005 ($340 million annuity) - Oregon
- Mega Millions: $164 million cash, Feb. 28, 2006 ($270 million annuity) - Ohio
- Powerball: $161.5 million cash, July 29, 1998 ($295.7 million annuity) - Indiana
Pretty cool! Good luck everyone.
Todd- the cash value of the $314.9 million Powerball jackpot won on December 25, 2002 is $170,505,876 and should be on the top 25 cash value list at #18.
Come on 2nd place players Megaplier! Megaplier! Megaplier!
could be an interesting Xmas and or fangtastic start for new year
Who would choose these numbers? Look at that 65 coming out of nowhere lol
5, 12, 22, 41, 65, Mega Ball 13
Quick Pick, those look like Quick Pick numbers.
Trust me Nikkicute, I'm with you. I just don't get it. You HAVE to get the multiplier...especially with these astronomical odds. WHAT ARE THEY THINKING??????
Congrats to them though. I'm sure they're smiling non-the-less!! Get it together people: MULTIPIER, MULTIPLIER, MULTIPLIER!!!!
HAHHAHAHAHHAHA!!! Good one! I know right, of all the numbers in the pack, darn 65....hahaha. You know what i was thinking this morning and it might seem strange, i really like these incredibly long odds. It kinda feels like whoever wins, truly and really got lucky and in some perverse way these long odds makes it feel like an even playing field. I know, i know, crazy thinking but...
Thanks for pointing that out.
This will be the first US Lottery to climb to 1 Billion Dollars
*************$1,OOO,OOO,OOO*************
Yes Sir!!! INDEED!!!! Looking Forward to the exhilarating rush and shock i'll feel after seeing my six numbers on Dec 27!!!! Yeeeaahhhh!!! Can't wait!!
This would be a great Jackpot for Pennsylvania's 1st big win in Mega Millions!
Good luck to all LP members!
A Party in PA!
I'll bet the Mega Millions folks are patting themselves on the back at the success of this inaugural run of the new MM matrix, and hoping for another rollover, which is still likely.
Powerball had begun to dominate the top 10 recently, and with this one run MM is turning that around and starting to take it back.
The news people usually start talking about JPs when they get over $300M, but whether due to jackpot fatigue, seasonal issues, or other distractions like the Mandela story, I haven't seen much of anything yet. This $400M JP should get the talking heads talking again, to whip sales into a frenzy.
I am with you both as well. I always get the megapleir now and this last drawing my two quick picks I had 13 as the megaball for both sets LOL so at least it paid for my next 2 tickets for Fri.
You're good Nikki. They are definitely QP #s.