Cash value worth nearly a half-billion dollars
By Todd Northrop
Just four months after Mega Millions delivered a $1.34 billion jackpot to one ticket sold in Illinois, the multi-state lottery game came roaring back with a jackpot to be drawn Friday that could top $1 billion.
When nobody won Tuesday night's $785 million grand prize, the Mega Millions jackpot grew to an estimated $940 million — the largest since a July 30, 2022 $1.34 billion Mega Millions jackpot was claimed anonymously by a two Illinois lottery players who claimed the prize in a partnership.
The next Mega Millions drawing is on Friday night at 11:00 pm Eastern Time (8:00 pm Pacific).
Friday's $940 million Mega Millions jackpot is the 4th-largest in the game's history, and the 6th-largest United States lottery jackpot of all time (see full list below).
The lump-sum cash value of $483.5 million is the 8th-largest on the all-time US lottery jackpot cash value list.
The current jackpot run-up started on Oct. 18 as a $20 million grand prize. It is less than 3 months since Mega Millions has had a jackpot winner, when two winning tickets sold in Florida and California split a $502 million jackpot.
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. Earlier this week, USA Mega updated the state tax rates on its Jackpot Analysis pages to reflect the 2023 changes that went into effect on Jan. 1.
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.
In Tuesday night's Mega Millions drawing, there was no jackpot winner, but 6 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $1,000,000 prize: 1 from Arizona, 1 from Maryland, 1 from Mississippi, 1 from South Dakota, 1 from Texas, and 1 from Virginia.
Three of the six second-prize winners — those from Arizona, Mississippi, and South Dakota — purchased their tickets with the Megaplier option for an extra $1 per play, multiplying their prize to $4 million because the Megaplier number drawn was 4.
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 lottery 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.
Also, a total of 68 tickets matched four of the first five numbers plus the Mega Ball to win a $10,000 prize. Of those tickets, 12 were purchased with the Megaplier option, increasing the prize to $40,000, and 11 were sold in California, where the prize awarded this drawing is $9,782.
The Mega Millions winning numbers for Tuesday, January 3, 2023, were 25, 29, 33, 41, and 44, with Mega Ball number 18. The Megaplier number was 4.
The complete payout information and official drawing video for Tuesday's drawing can be found at USA Mega's Mega Millions Drawing Information page.
Following the Tuesday drawing, the Mega Millions annuity jackpot estimate was raised $155 million from its previous amount of $785 million. The cash value was raised by $79.7 million from its previous amount of $403.8 million.
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.
Mega Millions is currently offered for sale in 45 states, plus Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are Fridays and Fridays at 11:00 pm Eastern Time.
Players looking for the nearest official lottery retailer — or maybe just a different store without such a long line — are urged to use the free Lottery Places app available for iOS, Android, and Windows. The app can find lottery stores in every Mega Millions state and can search across state lines — something even official state lotteries can't do.
Some states offer direct online sales, allowing players to bypass the store and purchase tickets from home. States that offer this ability include Colorado (Mega Millions and Powerball), Michigan (Mega Millions and Powerball), Minnesota (Mega Millions and Powerball), Oregon (Mega Millions and Powerball), Texas (Mega Millions and Powerball), and Virginia (Mega Millions and Powerball). Note that some of these links will only work properly for residents of the states mentioned.
Players outside the USA can use a reputable butler service, which provides scanned copies of the purchased lottery tickets securely held on behalf of the customer. In the past, the lottery ticket service was used by people out side the USA to win big jackpots in Oregon and Florida.
Mega Millions lottery results are published within minutes of the drawing at USA Mega (www.usamega.com). The USA Mega Web site provides lottery players in-depth information about the United States's two biggest multi-state lottery games, Powerball and Mega Millions.
Top 25 United States lottery jackpots of all time
Friday's Mega Millions jackpot currently stands as the 6th-largest lottery jackpot of all time in the United States, and the 4th-largest Mega Millions jackpot ever. Brisk sales will likely push the jackpot estimate higher by draw time.
If nobody wins Friday, it's anyone's guess how high it will go.
- Powerball: $2.0401 billion, Nov. 7, 2022 (40 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - California
- 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
- Mega Millions: $1.337 billion, Jul. 29, 2022 (29 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Illinois
- Mega Millions: $1.05 billion, Jan. 22, 2021 (36 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Michigan
- Mega Millions: $940 million, Jan. 6, 2023 (23 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Preliminary estimate, not won yet
- 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: $731.1 million, Jan. 20, 2021 (35 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Maryland
- Powerball: $699.8 million, Oct. 4, 2021 (40 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - California
- 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: $648 million, Dec. 17, 2013 (21 rollovers, starting at $12 million) - California, Georgia
- Powerball: $632.6 million, Jan 5, 2022 (39 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - California, Wisconsin
- 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: $516 million, May 21, 2021 (26 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Pennsylvania
- Mega Millions: $502 million, Oct. 14, 2022 (21 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - California, Florida
- Powerball: $487 million, Jul. 30, 2016 (23 rollovers, starting at $40 million) - New Hampshire
For those keeping score, the number of jackpots in the top 25, by lottery game, are:
- Powerball: 13
- Mega Millions: 12
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 8th-largest cash value in U.S. history.
- Powerball: $997.6 million cash, Nov. 7, 2022 ($2.0401 billion annuity) - California
- 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
- Mega Millions: $780.5 million cash, Jul. 29, 2022 ($1.337 billion annuity) - Illinois
- Mega Millions: $776.6 million cash, Jan. 22, 2021 ($1.05 billion annuity) - Michigan
- Powerball: $546.8 million cash, Jan. 20, 2021 ($731.1 million annuity) - Maryland
- Powerball: $496 million cash, Oct. 4, 2021 ($699.8 million annuity) - California
- Mega Millions: $483.5 million cash, Jan. 6, 2023 ($940 million annuity) - Preliminary estimate, not won yet
- Powerball: $480.5 million cash, Aug. 23, 2017 ($758.7 million annuity) - Massachusetts
- Powerball: $477 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: $450.2 million cash, Jan. 5, 2022 ($632.6 million annuity) - California, Wisconsin
- 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: $349.3 million cash, May 21, 2021 ($516 million annuity) - Pennsylvania
- Mega Millions: $347.6 million cash, Dec. 17, 2013 ($648 million annuity) - California, Georgia
- Powerball: $341.7 million cash, Jul. 30, 2016 ($487 million annuity) - New Hampshire
- Mega Millions: $340 million cash, Jun. 7, 2019 ($522 million annuity) - California
- 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
The number of cash value jackpots in the top 25, by lottery game, are:
- Powerball: 13
- Mega Millions: 12
I didn't expect it to go to that route. like wow. i think that starts the record breaker next week, or Friday nite a winning ticket in one of 6 states.
* The " Always Winning States" NY, NJ, FL, CA came up empty last night, even for the bridesmaid prize. Which means the eventual winner " will be" from one of those who missed out. It's simple math really!
These jackpots are no joke lately.
not gonna try as hard this time, just going to go with how I feel at the moment to create numbers
that $2bil jkpot wore me out lol
I am 45 % confident it could be a Michigan winner. ME,
Good luck W.
Here we go again!
Another BILLION DOLLAR jackpot on the horizon.
Or a Louisiana winner, like me!
$1bil on Friday only need $60 mil
Good luck everyone!
If you are please keep posting numbers. Thank you!
I will be content with a 2nd prize 5+0 you guys & gals can go for that top spot.
Got you covered Oscar, good luck.
* Aah, shucks- that's like allowing my 1987 GV Yugo to merge with traffic onto HY 880. You sweet thing.
One state that has oddly been on a bit of a roll, lately, is the near-to-me, Mississippi. Just sayin'.
Also, now would be an excellent time to win the "other" jackpot.
If it does reach a Billion Dollars, hopefully the draw don't get delayed until the following morning.
AGAIN!
Exactly. When that happened the "it's rigged" folks came out the woodwork.
One thing I don't like is the drawing video is not consistent in one take. If you watch the last draw video he calls out the mega ball while it's still dropping moving and no way readable until it stops. This happens in other videos as well, both games. So it looks to me that the close up video is shot beforehand, and the announcers know the numbers ahead of time. If that's the case then it does leave the door open where people can think that they are controlling the outcome. Eddie Tipton was never supposed to happen but did, so technically anything is possible especially when lots of money is involved.
You gotta keep up. Sign of the times.
For those who have been here for awhile did you ever think the day would come when it took a billion dollar jackpot to get people as excited as they used to get over $100 million jackpots?
Back in the day I never in my wildest dreams thought there would be billion dollar jackpots.
But, I also never thought there would be games with the crazy odds like we have now.
It might not
I know the real truth, shame that many don't see through it
I know right!
Minnesota better get ready / get it together this time around lol
Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo........From Tennessee...moi
Happy New Year CDanaT, I would split with my Tennessee buddies.
Indeed....
Is it not enough proof with the jackpots reaching new heights that it's time to bring back the $40 mil opening jackpot?
Imagine how much faster they will grow!
Agreed, they scared it might reach $4 bil
There were 71 million tickets sold on Tuesday and if no two tickets had the same numbers that's less than 25% of all the possible outcomes. I'm guessing at least one more roll.
Not accounting for the excess duplicates from playing patterns, calendar numbers, etc about 21% of combinations were sold. For Friday it will be about 28%, assuming there's no bump from $940 million.
That makes a rollover the likely outcome for Friday, but depending on sales for next Tuesday there's perhaps a 40% chance it keeps rolling.
If the tickets still cost $1, sales would be around 144 million tickets and below 50%.
I'm back trucking. I'm playing in TN and OH. Good luck to all playing friday!
I guess, they wanted to be sure of the "true" annuitized value before holding the draw so that they wouldn't be accused of false advertisement. But seriously. When you've won $2 billion dollars, is a difference of a million or 2 going to make you rush in to court with a claim?
The Powerball draw for the $2B plus was painful. I finally went to bed that night around 4:00 a.m. When I wake up around 9:00 a.m., the draw still had not happened. I said to myself, this is ridiculous. What is going on?
Although the annuity jackpot amount was not updated today, the cash value was increased from $483.5 million to $486 million. Still the 8th-largest cash value in US lottery history.
Ever have one of those days when you are going into a store to grab a ticket or 2 for the upcoming draw and something tells you"grab a particular scratch-off" ?
Well....... After work last night, I stop into a Race Trac gas station to fill up and get my 5 tix for the Lotto America draw on Sat and let me grab a couple of MM individual QP's while I am here as well.. The clerk was walking back to her register and this $20 Christmas ticket is doing its mindspeak stuff telling me I needed to get one...SO.....I did...Spending a grand total of $29..... I get home and scratch off the ticket ...
.....$30 winner... I can appreciate the 2 free chances (MM) & the 5 free ones for L.A and a buck back in my pocket..... Good luck tonight kids....May the jackpot win be with one of us !!!
It wore me out also EnReval. I stayed up just about all night, and decided I have got to go to bed. When I woke up, the draw still had not taken place.
Had the 20 and 63 on 1 ticket and the 3 on the 2nd ticket.........Oh well, the tickets were free... Hope the rest you did well
Possibly 1.3 on Tuesday
No winner for Friday. Tuesday's jackpot is $1.1 billion. Now I will spend $100. 😎😎😎
Do you really think they revised their sales estimate to sell about about another $4 million worth of tickets and it's just a wild coincidence that the new annuity factor resulted in an annuity amount that's exactly what they advertised from the start?
The same thing has happened several times recently. They make a sales forecast, advertise a cash value and an annuity based on the cash value and annuity factor, and then a bit later they post a different annuity factor with a new cash value that just magically results in an annuity that's what they originally advertised. The only reasonable explanation is that when the annuity factor changes they adjust the (never guaranteed) cash value to match the (also not guaranteed) annuity instead of announcing a revised annuity that's lower.
"Possibly 1.3 on Tuesday "
Maybe, but sales for huge jackpots have really been slowing down. Less than 6 months ago MM rolled from 830 to $1.34 billion, and 3 months later PB only went from $1.0 to $1.2 billion. That's an increase that's less than half as much, despite starting $170 million higher (and getting to use "billion" in the advertising). Based on that the current $1.1 advertised annuity might even be a bit optimistic. I don't think anyone, including the people deciding what to advertise, really has more than a vague a clue about what players are going to do.
No matter how big the jackpot gets or how high the odds of winning are, I still buy a ticket because.....You never know!
You have to be in it to win it!
Bring it on baby!
well here we go again ....
The problem with that is that it is out of your control if you get the five main numbers. You have to pick a power ball number and yes I would root against not getting it and take the million gleefully.