13th-largest lottery jackpot in history
By Todd Northrop
The Mega Millions multi-state lottery game continued its jackpot run last night when no tickets matched all six numbers.
Last night nobody won the Mega Millions lottery drawing, triggering another jackpot rollover that created a Friday jackpot estimated at $825 million with a cash value of $382.2 million.
To get to this massive size, the jackpot has been growing since it started on September 13 as a $20 million prize — now 28 consecutive drawings without a winner.
Friday's Mega Millions jackpot is the 7th-largest in the game's history, and the 13th-largest lottery jackpot in world history among all lottery games. The lump-sum cash value of $382.2 million is the 23rd-largest on the all-time lottery jackpot cash value rankings (see full list below).
Players looking to calculate what they would receive after the initial federal and state tax withholdings can find it all pre-calculated for each Mega Millions jurisdiction on the Jackpot Analysis page at USA Mega, a web site devoted to the Powerball and Mega Millions multi-state lottery games.
The largest lottery jackpot ever awarded was on Nov. 7, 2022, when one Powerball ticket sold in California won a $2 billion grand prize. The incredibly lucky winner was Edwin Castro, who claimed the prize in February of 2023, providing minimal public information about himself. What little is known about Castro comes from public filings, and includes the purchases of houses one, two, and three, as well as being the subject of dubious lawsuits that are unfortunately predictable these days. (The lawsuit was thrown out in October.)
The rush of ticket sales over the next few days may 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.
The quickest way to find the winning numbers after the drawing Friday will be by visiting USA Mega (www.usamega.com) at 11:00 pm Eastern Time (8:00 pm Pacific), when the winning numbers will be published minutes after they are drawn.
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. Players can see if they can play Mega Millions online by tapping the link. Depending on the physical location of the person, the link will either provide access via a licensed butler service or the official state lottery itself.
Butler services provide scanned copies of the purchased lottery tickets securely held on behalf of the customer. In the past, such lottery ticket services were used by people out side the USA to win big jackpots in Oregon and Florida.
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: 2 from California, 1 from Louisiana, 1 from North Carolina, and 1 from Oklahoma.
Only the player from North Carolina purchased the Megaplier for an extra $1 per play, quadrupling their prize to a whopping $4 million, since the Megaplier number drawn was 4.
The only state not offering the Megaplier option is 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 within California and the number of tickets that won at each prize level in the state.
Each of the California second-prize winners will receive a payout of $226,328, since the total prize pool for second-prize winners in California was $452,656.
A total of 55 tickets matched four of the first five numbers plus the Mega Ball to win a $10,000 prize. Of those tickets, 17 were purchased with the Megaplier option, increasing the prize to $40,000, and 2 were sold in California, where the prize awarded this drawing is $31,356.
A complete list of prizes available for matching various numbers as well as the official drawing video can be found on the Mega Millions Drawing Detail page at USA Mega, as well as on the Mega Millions Prize Payouts page at Lottery Post.
The Mega Millions winning numbers for Tuesday, December 17, 2024, were 56, 66, 67, 68, and 69, with Mega Ball number 18. The Megaplier number was 4.
Following the Tuesday drawing, the Mega Millions annuity jackpot estimate was raised $65 million from its previous amount of $760 million. The cash value was raised by $30.1 million from its previous amount of $352.1 million.
Mega Millions is currently offered for sale in 45 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.
Top 25 United States lottery jackpots of all time
Friday's Mega Millions jackpot currently stands as the 13th-largest lottery jackpot in world history.
- Powerball: $2.0401 billion, Nov. 7, 2022 (40 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - California
- Powerball: $1.7649 billion, Oct. 11, 2023 (35 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - California
- Mega Millions: $1.602 billion, Aug. 8, 2023 (31 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Florida
- 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: $1.348 billion, Jan. 13, 2023 (25 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Maine
- Mega Millions: $1.337 billion, Jul. 29, 2022 (29 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Illinois
- Powerball: $1.3259 billion, Apr. 6, 2024 (40 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Oregon
- Mega Millions: $1.128 billion, Mar. 26, 2024 (30 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - New Jersey
- Powerball: $1.0798 billion, Jul. 19, 2023 (38 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - California
- Mega Millions: $1.05 billion, Jan. 22, 2021 (36 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Michigan
- Powerball: $842.4 million, Jan. 1, 2024 (34 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Michigan
- Mega Millions: $825 million, Dec. 20, 2024 (28 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Initial estimate, not won yet
- Mega Millions: $800 million, Sep. 10, 2024 (27 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Texas
- 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: $754.6 million, Feb. 6, 2023 (33 rollovers, starting at $20 million) - Washington
- 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
For those keeping score, the number of jackpots in the top 25, by lottery game, are:
- Powerball: 15
- Mega Millions: 10
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 23rd-largest cash value in world 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: $794.2 million cash, Aug. 8, 2023 ($1.602 billion annuity) - Florida
- 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: $774.1 million cash, Oct. 11, 2023 ($1.7649 billion annuity) - California
- Mega Millions: $723.5 million cash, Jan. 13, 2023 ($1.348 billion annuity) - Maine
- Powerball: $621 million cash, Apr. 6, 2024 ($1.3259 billion annuity) - Oregon
- Powerball: $558.1 million cash, Jul. 19, 2023 ($1.0798 billion annuity) - California
- Powerball: $546.8 million cash, Jan. 20, 2021 ($731.1 million annuity) - Maryland
- Mega Millions: $536.6 million cash, Mar. 26, 2024 ($1.128 billion annuity) - New Jersey
- Powerball: $496 million cash, Oct. 4, 2021 ($699.8 million annuity) - California
- 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: $425.2 million cash, Jan. 1, 2024 ($842.4 million annuity) - Michigan
- Powerball: $407.2 million cash, Feb. 6, 2023 ($754.6 million annuity) - Washington
- Mega Millions: $404.2 million cash, Sep. 10, 2024 ($800 million annuity) - Texas
- 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: $382.2 million cash, Dec. 20, 2024 ($825 million annuity) - Initial 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
The number of cash value jackpots in the top 25, by lottery game, are:
- Powerball: 15
- Mega Millions: 10
Can't wait until it goes to $5 and the jkpot can hit $3bil, thatz when lotto pools will really be needed
only had the Mega ball this time
This are the Most Ridiculous Winning Numbers have ever seen in my Life
56, 66, 67,68,69
OMG 😆 and Nobody won 🏆
Imagine being that close to hitting $760M but ending up with $225k instead in CA? Much worse if the Mega ball for those two ended up being a number or two away.
"This are the Most Ridiculous Winning Numbers have ever seen in my Life
56, 66, 67,68,69 "
They'll make "scent$" to ya , afta you see MY Posted Ticketz..It'll show intentional
manipulation...
Yea that was a QP rendition at its finest
I thought those numbers were crazy too. At least nobody won so it can go higher. There were a bunch of people in line yesterday at a store I frequent getting tickets. Will probably be that way over the next couple of days.
I normally buy 1 ticket for every $100million of cash. I will just go ahead and buy 4 today since I know it will get that high by Friday.
Goodbye 1995 Honda Accord. Hello 2025 Acura NSX
Yeah, early this morning I thought what a paltry sum those two winners receive. Better than nothing I guess.
Todd, thanks so much for the research into these jackpots.
No doubt she'll jump up again before Friday night.
Now for the morning laugh. Had contacted GA lottery to come to their 'headquarters' in Atlanta and got off Piedmont station where it was nearby. Well it wasn't much of anything. A corner office on the second floor. You could buy tickets there and quite a few folks on benches to collect their winnings.
they got it setup for one winner again you watch
You need to visit the one in Duluth, always busy but u can't purchase tickets there
been gone from ATL for over 15 yrs and didn't know you can't buy there anymore
the advertised annuity value could be $8096578650875096540684590684085 for all anyone cares. the only number players look at is the cash value.
Exactly. There is no need on here to list that ridiculous top 25 of all time either. I fail to see the significance of past jackpots in relation to the current one. What is someone going to say I wanted to win the 14th highest but had to settle for the 18th. I am a little disappointed in that I won it this week instead of a couple of draws later so I could be higher on that list.
I totally agree with you and I am pretty sure those 5 winners were all QP plays.
I don't see anyone choosing 66-67-68-69 voluntarily on their ticket.
The argument has always been, "you need to spread your numbers" 🤔
considering how much the ratio of annuity to cash value fluctuates, and how every almost winner takes the cash instead of annuity, i do not see any value in the ranking of annuities. might as well rank invisible pink unicorns. the cash value ranking list is the only one that is interesting and has practical meaning.
C'mon 56,66,67,68,69. I went to school for statistics. I call BS. That like flipping a quarter 100 times and 99 times it falls on tails and only 1 on heads. You guys will say something wrong with that quarter.🤣🤣🤣 Well their go your answer! Something is very fishy how those numbers came out. True random wouldn't come out in that order. That looks very planned out with that typical distribution. Now Mega wants to go to $5 as well in 2025. 🧐 Ummmmm be very careful lottery players. They getting very greedy off our hopes and dreams. Play at your own risk. I feel something not right 🤔 But hey you have to be in it to win it regardless of my thoughts so I'll wait on the sidelines until you folks put it pass a billion and I'll continue to play these scratch offs in the meantime 🤷🏾♂️
* Just goes to show, there is no such thing as " hot numbers" when playing the lottery.
Only had the 56 & the 18.............Spent $4 and won $4...
It seems as though we had the Powerball do this about 7-10 years ago.....I believe it had 3 single digit numbers, then skipped a number.....Something along the lines of 5--6--7 then 9 and another number + the PB......It would be interesting to have the stats folks on here pull up the last time we had 4 in a row. I sure don't recall it happening before.
Exactly! What's the odds of that? And I remember when powerball had there problems. But I see how quickly people forget. They need to weight the balls and load them into the machine live. So everyone can see. The game draws the balls from the bottom. So if you put certain heavier balls in . You can make you own outcome. And I would also like to know. How much do these games skim even before the game is drawn? And where does the money from the "cash penalty " go. And why did they raise the percentage of the cash penalty without telling anyone. And when is the bonus drawn?
Many play 1-5 and a power ball number probably 6. Some do play the last 5 numbers also which is why the multiple 2nd prize winners on numbers that are seemingly not picked by most.
I do not understand people claiming various lotteries are a scam and crooked but still play the games.
All numbers have an equal chance of being picked and the numbered balls are not self aware of being a consecutive number or not. There was a Virginia Bank a Million game where 5 or 6 consecutive numbers were picked. It does happen on occasion. The odds of winning are the same in each game. I have had statistics classes as well and consecutive numbers have no more or less value than any other number.
Maybe you should ask for a refund and try a different school.
True random as the name suggests is completely random. A pseudo random on the other hand is designed to specifically avoid these situations which is why you don't see the same song queued up when you're shuffling your music on an app.
Randomness is the only thing that made last night's numbers possible and the two tickets with same numbers being drawn at the same store for the $395M Mega jackpot. This isn't the first time numbers had been drawn in sequence and is why you see same numbers drawn back to back in Pick 3 & 4s in state lotteries.
If you think adding "I went to school for statistics" adds credibility to your ignorant statements then you're sorely mistaken.
You really think they'd skim a few millions and risk govt audits instead of keeping the cash cow going?
I don't know about the Mega but PB preparation always had individual balls weighed and X-ray'd and less than a handful of ppl know which one of the three machines is going to be used.
There's dozens of states involved and you can't get them to keep their mouths shut if there's a huge scam underneath. States like WY that had never had a jackpot would've rioted.
The odds of 1,2,3,4,5,,6 is the same as any other combination. It's why you see the odds mentioned as 1 in 302.5 million and not 1 in a million for these set of numbers and 1 in a 100 million for these set of numbers.
Only a fixed percentage of the sales go to towards logistics and other expenses out of sales and it's the reason you saw a bump before the drawing since it's crossed that threshold. You can request all that info yourself if you know where to go instead of creating another conspiracy theory.
In spite of that there were 5 match 5 winners, including one in Louisiana.
"That looks very planned out with that typical distribution"
That'z bcuz it wuzz planned, afta their Mainframe saw MY Numberz..
And again,
I turned MY phone off,.. So, they couldn't track my wheaaboutz..!!.. Again
the 1st number?.. In the 50'z.. Coincidence? 
NOOOPE..
Hit 3 outa 5 last night and I got the megaplier too .. $40 ain't bad . ... I didn't spend a dime on my 4 tickets that I purchased cuz I won $12 the draw before ..
I went for 5 tickets for Friday ... $15
That leaves $25 for my liverwurst sandwiches and beverages for everybody on the board. Let's all enjoy a nice lunch together .... well meet at Todd and Kate's compound in the bahamas new year.
the odds of 56-66-67-68-69 + 18 are the same as 3-4-37-46-59 + 12, and the same as 1-2-3-4-5 + 20, and the same as 25-30-33-42-53 + 21, and the same as 19-22-24-37-40 + 2, and the same as 34-44-57-61-62 + 5.
Good luck to everyone!
I did not mean skimming as they where doing it illegally. I meant it in whats there cut? And I guarantee if someone read the fine print in there probably novel size stack of rules. There not held liable for any problems or mishaps! Lotterys in some other countries weigh and load the balls on live TV. So there's no what ifs!