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Aug 2, 2006, 10:24 am (30 comments)
For the sixth time in eleven weeks the Mega Millions jackpot was won, this time for $31 million.
The string of winning jackpots is great for those who prefer to spread the wealth, but disappointing for huge jackpot hunters.
Not that $31 million is a small sum of money, but it's not what the inventors of Mega Millions envisioned when they constructed the game with 176 million-to-1 odds of winning.
The other Mega Millions jackpots recently won include:
Lottery officials said the winning ticket from Tuesday night's drawing was sold in the New York City borough of Queens.
In addition to the grand prize winner, two players matched all five numbers but not the Mega Ball number. They will receive second prizes of $250,000 each.
Another 17 players matched four numbers, plus the Mega Ball number, good for third prizes of $10,000 each.
The winning numbers from Tuesday night's drawing were: 14, 29, 32, 43 and 49. The Mega Ball number was 14.
Lottery Post Staff
Well New York has been overdue for a jackpot winner. They haven't had a winner in a couple years I believe. But still when is this jackpot going to grow to a decent height. I mean I haven't bought a MM ticket in months now.
Brad
If those huge jackpot hunters save their money while waiting for a large MM jackpot, they may accumulate a small jackpot of their own.
As much as I would have liked to seen the MegaMillions jackpot reach at least 50-60million this run I'm too busy planning which lawyer and CPA to contact after I win my Powerball jackpot tonight. Congrats to the lucky winner in Queens, I hope it was someone who truely needed the money. Mabey one of the people who lost power during the black out hit the jackpot and can beat the heat by buying a nice new air-conditioner (industrial strength of course). Anyone know how long it's been since MegaMillions had a large (100+ million) jackpot? Heck of a dry spell.
washington is way over due a winner. we haven't had a winner since we joined and got a 95 million winner. by the way i should be the next winner even if it is 15 million.
Why do so many players dislike smaller jackpots? I'd love to have the problem of worrying about what to do with a $10 million dollar win. And as the saying goes, you can't win if you don't play.
Lots of players like playing even when the jackpots are small, if they didn't the jackpots would never get bigger so fast. The only players complaining are the whiners who claim they seldom play because the jackpot isn't big enough.
I hate seeing all these winners, but I definately agree that New York has been overdue for a winner. They have the highest amount of sales of all the states, but they rarely get any winners.
I'm also one of those people who likes smaller jackpots or doesn't care what the size is. I would love to win $10 million dollars. And I play whether it's $15 million or $200 million.
Illinois is also over due for a winner. We haven't had a winner in almost 4 years (2002). Last time we had a winner was 9/02. Washington's last winner was 11/02.
I know it's certainly the luck of the draw and I know the odds of winning this lottery game is one in 175Million or so, but doesn't it seem a little bizzare that in the last 11 weeks, there have been 6 winners?
.... Just a little bizzare?
Ouch, now I'm a whiner
Well just take off that "h" and add an "n" and I'm set.
The problem isn't that the jackpot is won at a low level or that 12 million isn't a large amount of money. If the WA state lotto hit 12 million I would get tickets right away. The odds on winning lotto are only 1:7 million though. For a game with the highest odds of any game created, the jackpots are pretty low and seem to be staying that way.
Only time will tell if this is a strange slump or the future of Megamillions. I am not expecting any timely fix from the people running Megamillions. Until then I can play Powerball and the Canadian 6/49 game. If Powerball rolls to around $250 or the Canadian game can come close to $30 million then I'd get tickets. For me it's all about odds vs. prize.
If someone wins $31 million and complains that it's not enough money, then I'll be happy to take that little burden off their hands. I'll even give them the $1 for the money they wasted on the ticket, just because I'm such a nice guy.
It doesn't bother me at all to have small jackpots won more frequently - I wish I could win even the smallest possible jackpot - but it does seem to in strange defying of the odds. I would think eventually there has to be a stretch without a winner that would take it to $400+ million. And who knows, the next drawing could be the start of it.
The difference between MegaMillions and most state games is that even the lowest amount of $12 million will make you set for life (if you aren't an idiot). That's why the jackpot amount doesn't get me that excited, unlike a game that starts at $400,000 and builds, where I would want to hit in the $5-6 million range and not "blow" my win on an amount that wouldn't leave me set for life. But there is no jackpot that is too low in MegaMillions.
But there is no jackpot that is too low in MegaMillions.
I agree. I always chuckle when I see the word "small" when referring to an amount of money like $30 million. Even if 3 people split it, it would be a great paycheck!
I do not dislike smaller jackpots. What I do dislike is facing 9-figure odds for 7-figure jackpots. For example, if Mega Millions was $12mil I wouldn't play, but if Pick-6 Lotto was $12mil I would probably buy $10 worth. It's all about the prize in proportion to the odds.
There's not wrong with players waiting until they feel the jackpot size and odds of winning are worth buying tickets. The whiners I referred to are the players who complain about other players playing and winning the game before they have any interest in playing because MegaMillions could not have $100M+ jackpots if no one played for the $12M jackpots.
omg this game is a joke, do you think the game will ever get out of this slump? maybe ill get some state lottery tickets, the jackpot is up to $28 million and thats alot you know.
$31 million is not that much money. (in the lottery world) there are people who have won $100+ million jackpots, im just kinda sick of all these little hits.
Chamillionaire, just suppose you won that $31 million, would you just be kinda be sick of that little hit.
People complaining about winners - doesn't make sense, we should all be so lucky to get even the very smallest $12 M jackpot. I'm sure the head honchos would love it if no one won it for months and months - less for them to do, and they can keep earning interest on all that stacked up lottery money. Knuckleheads. They can always add 10 more balls or so and make the odds 10 trillion to one so that no one will ever win.
Now that we have a recent winner in maryland.......It is about time that we have a winner in Wash DC........no if only I could make it down to the nations Capitol.
$204 mil $69 mil after initial taxes sounds kool in someones pocket.....probably won't be my pocket.......buttttt if the winning ticket is in DC, it will be my ticket
lol
I'll make some revisions on my system to see if it will punch out a few numbers that will put me in the ballpark. Enough people will be betting to ensure that all combinations will be bet upon without me having anything to do with it........now if only I can find the way in the combination that will pay out the least amount of 2nd prizes.
Last night must have been really deperate for PB to pull 4 numbers out of one group of ten.....and then still had 20 players win 2nd prize
Have no fear I suspect that MM will be bouncing back shortly.......I'll pull back the dogs and give them some breathing room on the chess board. The only problem in this chess game I am playing with MM is that they are still making money(not as much as before) while I am only breaking even or recouping a little back from all that idoit betting I did earlier this year when I just started.
I'll lay off a bit and maybe someone else may have a go at them.
Now if only I can find the time to get some slips and find my way to DC....afterall it could be that PB has been waiting for me.
Hello !
It is not a good time for me, too! I have many small sad stores this time and more than that Mega looks ill !!
But don't worry, I remember this situations also happened to Powerball couple years ago: so many hits in a short time.
That is also cool when there are many winners can enjoy a piece of cake!
I believe handsome Mega Millions will recover and make people happy soon!
yeah.......i would have to agree with you. It does seem a lil strange to me also........I smell a matrix change pretty soon and I think with the next change it will actually get to $500 mill. I mean they've been saying it for years and I think that maybe its gonna be a reality by the time 2007 ends
The current MM is barely a year old (when California joined.) It's too soon to raise the odds again. Before the year is over MM will be producing big jackpots again.
Now if only I can find the time to get some slips and find my way to DC....afterall it could be that PB has been waiting for me.
I'm sure they (PB) are extremely happy. They've gotta be in the office giving each other high fives everytime MM gets hit before it gets to $100mill. If i'm not mistaken, a majority of the PB states are breaking all kinds of sales records due to the high PB jackpots and the low MM hits.
NY Lotto is seeing its lowest sales figures in maybe 25 years. Whether or not the low MM jackpots have anything to do with it, I say it's because of the terrible payout % in NY Lotto.
I agree with you CASH but i'm sure if they have enough low hits for the rest of the year they will be considering a lil bit of a change
ill. is overdue all around jackpots passup ill.
like a rocketsled to h#%L
Todd, this is a great story. That's the 6th straight winner under 100 million and 5th straight winner under 50 million. I think MM has to up the number of MBs to 52 or the string will continue.
The people that won those "small jackpots" are probably regular players that understand if you don't pay to play you don't win. 20-50 million jackpots if taken lump-sum translate after taxes into roughly 13 million and 33 million respectively. You can try to shelter your names from scrutiny but you can't hide from the tax-man, he will get his cut. Nevertheless, these "small jackpots" are a beautiful addition to anybodys bank accounts or investments that could generate copious amounts of income, enough to retire on and keep on paying to play. Good Luck!