Quick Links   You last visited January 19, 2021, 2:30 am All times shown are Eastern Time (GMT-5:00) | Mega Millions lottery jackpot increased to $520 million on strong sales Mega Millions: Mega Millions lottery jackpot increased to $520 million on strong salesRating:By Kate Northrop Lottery officials have just announced that the jackpot for tonight's Mega Millions drawing has been raised from $510 million to $520 million, making this week's Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots just $10 million shy of a combined $1 billion. The Mega Millions jackpot has grown since Sep. 18 and has rolled 32 times, starting at $20 million. Mega Millions offers two jackpot payment options: the $520 million annuity prize paid out as one immediate payment followed by 29 annual graduated payments, or the cash option, which is $383.4 million. (Before today's jackpot increase the cash value was $339.6 million.) The lump-sum cash value now stands as the 8th-largest in U.S. history and the 3rd-largest in the game's history. The annuity ranking did not change as a result of the increase, which keeps it at the 16th-largest jackpot in U.S. history. The ever-swelling top prize for the Mega Millions game nearly mirrors the Powerball jackpot that currently stands at $470 million for its drawing this Saturday, Jan. 9. At $990 million, this is the highest combined jackpot total for Mega Millions and Powerball since October 2018. Tickets typically remain on sale until around 10:45 pm Eastern Time, although players should check with a lottery retailer in their state for the exact sales cutoff time. (Every state is different.) Players are strongly advised not to wait until the last minute. 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. Mega Millions tickets cost $2 each. For an extra $1 per ticket players can purchase the Megaplier option, which multiplies any non-jackpot won by up to 5 times, depending on the Megaplier number drawn that evening. The only state that does not offer the Megaplier is California, because state law banning fixed lottery prize amounts is not compatible with the fixed nature of the Megaplier payouts. 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. Mega Millions features nine different prize levels, ranging from $2 all the way up to the jackpot. Players can win even if they just match one number — the Mega Ball number. The odds of winning the jackpot are approximately 1 in 302 million. The odds of winning any of the Mega Millions prizes are 1 in 24. Top 25 United States lottery jackpots of all time The following list shows the top 25 United States lottery jackpots of all time. This week's Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots currently stand as the 16th- and 18th-largest lottery jackpots of all time in the USA. - 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: $522 million, Jun. 7, 2019 (24 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - California
- Mega Millions: $520 million, Jan. 8, 2021 (32 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Preliminary estimate, not won yet
- Powerball: $487 million, Jul. 30, 2016 (23 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - New Hampshire
- Powerball: $470 million, Jan. 9, 2021 (32 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Preliminary estimate, not won yet
- 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
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 values, the upcoming Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots respectively rank as the 8th- and 12th-largest cash values 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
- Mega Millions: $383.4 million cash, Jan. 8, 2021 ($520 million annuity) - Preliminary estimate, not won yet
- 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: $362.7 million cash, Jan. 9, 2021 ($470 million annuity) - Preliminary estimate, not won yet
- 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: $340 million cash, Jun. 7, 2019 ($522 million annuity) - California
- 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
- Mega Millions: $319.9 million cash, Jun. 9, 2020 ($414 million annuity) - Arizona
- 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: $276.5 million cash, Jan. 29, 2020 ($396.9 million annuity) - Florida
- 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
The number of cash value jackpots in the top 25, by lottery game, are: - Powerball: 15
- Mega Millions: 10
Lottery Post Staff
Chicago United States Member #122758 February 7, 2012 197 Posts Offline | I'm ready for it send it my way. | | |
Modesto, California United States Member #193983 November 24, 2018 23 Posts Offline | | | |
Chattanooga, TN United States Member #74192 May 5, 2009 100 Posts Offline | Come on suckers. Time to make the lottery corporations some money. | | |
Hard Luck, Ak United States Member #23471 October 13, 2005 369 Posts Offline | Good Luck everyone! Good chance someone will hit with the increase in ticket sales. "We make a living by what you get, You make a LIFE by what you give!" Sir Winston Churchill | | |
Chasing $ Millions.
White Shores- California United States Member #136473 December 12, 2012 6487 Posts Offline | to a lucky LP member or members! 
* Voice of Reason * People who say it cannot be done should not interrupt those who are doing it- George Bernard Shaw. | | |
Kentucky United States Member #32651 February 14, 2006 9069 Posts Offline | Somebody better win tonight; I have $15 invested in this jackpot run. And will have another $15 in PB. It's not my fault! I voted for Amy. | | |
Simpsonville United States Member #163184 January 22, 2015 2387 Posts Offline | Good job Todd, as usual...thinking it'll be updated tomorrow and perhaps Sunday too with no jackpot winners!! | | |
United States Member #135800 November 29, 2012 413 Posts Offline | Dear god, not asking for much, just give me both jackpots is all | | |
Blue Bell,Pa United States Member #156243 June 12, 2014 31 Posts Offline | Dear god, not asking for much, just give me both jackpots is all lol Don't be greedy. =0p Winning the Mega Millions 520 million will be more than enough. | | |
Baton Rouge, LA United States Member #4602 May 7, 2004 721 Posts Offline | lol Don't be greedy. =0p Winning the Mega Millions 520 million will be more than enough. I'd be happy with a piece of it. I have my MegaMillions and my Powerball. Also, Louisiana Lotto is at a record $2million, so I'm in that too! Prisoner Six
"I am not a number, I am a free man!" | | |
NY United States Member #23834 October 16, 2005 4309 Posts Offline | "Good chance someone will hit with the increase in ticket sales." Of course there's more chance of somebody winning as sales go up, but there's still only about a 1 in 5 chance of somebody hitting the jackpot. | | |
New Member Alabama United States Member #171513 January 9, 2016 13 Posts Offline | The 1-08-2021 Mega Millions draw is 3-6-16-18-58, Megaball 11, Megaplier 2x
NO WINNER! (I expected that) -- Now worth at least $ 600.00 million annuity / $ 442.40 million cash option for Tuesday January 12. | | |
United States Member #72446 March 18, 2009 1332 Posts Offline | I couldn't buy my usual electronic ticket because the Illinois Lottery Headquarters' website was crashed a few hours in the evening! Having several millions of dollars in my financial accounts means receiving several valuable services each day! 
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Mcminnville, Oregon United States Member #3013 December 13, 2003 5001 Posts Offline | Yeah another shot at the big money! YES!-weshar75 
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