Mega Millions buying frenzy sends jackpot to brink of world record
Includes video report
Updated at 1:03 pm with Maryland sales stats
By Todd Northrop
Certainly the state lotteries expected the multi-state Mega Millions October rules changes to increase jackpots, but it's fair to say the first jackpot run under the new rules exceeded their wildest expectations.
When Mega Millions changed its number matrix and prize structure in October, Texas Lottery executive director Gary Grief said, "We think that players will respond favorably to the new Mega Millions changes and expect even greater sales for the game." (See Tickets for updated Mega Millions game on sale Saturday, Lottery Post, October 18, 2013.)
What an understatement!
The official jackpot estimate for tonight's Mega Millions drawing has been raised for the second time in two days, due to heavy demand for the mind-blowing jackpot.
As of Tuesday morning, the estimated annuity jackpot for the Tuesday, December 17, 2013, Mega Millions jackpot is $636 million, with a lump-sum cash value of $341.2 million.
The increase propells tonight's jackpot total to the second-highest lottery jackpot in world history, and only $20 million shy of the all-time record $656 million jackpot, set in March of 2012 by the Mega Millions game.
But what if nobody wins the jackpot tonight?
Lottery officials have estimated that the starting jackpot estimate would be $950 million, with a cash option of $509.6 million.
Translation: We will see the world's first $1 billion lottery jackpot.
According to the Maryland Lottery, Mega Millions tickets in Maryland alone are being sold today at the rate of 101 tickets per second — 6,041 per minute. The state is estimating that Maryland Lottery retailers will go through approximately 2016 rolls of paper for this particular drawing. At 4,000 tickets per roll, that's a lot of tickets.
The rush of people trying to check their numbers on the Internet tonight will likely have most Web sites swamped. Players are encouraged to check their numbers at USA Mega (www.usamega.com), which tends to survive incredible traffic volumes better than most state lottery Web sites.
"Players checking online should hang in there and refresh their Web browser every so often until they get through to the site," said Todd Northrop, founder of Lottery Post and USA Mega. "The rush of traffic happens right at 11:00 Eastern Time, so waiting a half hour or so before checking the numbers will probably be easiest."
In the meantime, lottery players dreaming about what $636 million means to them after taxes have been withheld can check USA Mega's Jackpot Analysis page, which provides the information for each individual state.
VIDEO: Northrop featured on CNN's New Day program
Lottery Post founder Todd Northrop was featured on CNN's early morning New Day program in a segment discussing the Tuesday Mega Millions drawing.
Top 25 United States lottery jackpots of all time
Tuesday's Mega Millions jackpot currently stands as the 2nd-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.
- Mega Millions: $656 million, Mar. 30, 2012 - Illinois, Kansas, Maryland
- Mega Millions: $636 million, Dec. 17, 2013 - Preliminary estimate, not won yet
- 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)
- 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. 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
- 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 4th-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
- Mega Millions: $341.2 million cash, Dec. 17, 2013 ($636 million annuity) - Preliminary estimate, not won yet
- 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: $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
- 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
- Mega Millions: $156.1 million cash, Sept. 16, 2005 ($258 million annuity) - New Jersey
Woo Hoo $636 million.....
Holy <snip>.
75 white balls.. Really.. This is going to be cray cray if this jackpot don't go toinght. They knew it would roll this high when they changed the balls to 75 white balls. There are only 15 red, but you still have to get 5/75 and the matching red ball to boot. Yikes!
I can't stop grinning.
I'm going to try this one more time, lol.
I bought a ticket for last Friday, "not one number".
WTG @ Todd
Good Luck.
Holy Mega Millions Batman
My thoughts exactly
HaHa. You sound like us at 1:00.
Right. Suckers out there pluncking down $50, $100, $200-plus for tickets chasing this pipe dream. I'll buy my usual three with MP to be 'in the game', but this is looking like bad reality TV right now.
if not hit tonight they will have to call it "Mega Billions" lol
May have to go out and buy my second $1.00 after all...
To say this is exciting is an under statement!!!!!!!! I have no doubt there will be one Winner!!!!!!! I dont think it will be tonight. I think I will win it on Friday. I have my 31 page plan laid out. Just need the transfer of funds to hit. Wont actually claim it until late February or early March.....lol
Here we go folks!
I want to bring this home for Pennsylvania's first big win in Mega Millions!