16th-largest U.S. cash value jackpot of all time
By Todd Northrop
The multi-state Mega Millions lottery game continued its months-long climb Tuesday night, and has finally breached the $300-million mark.
After nobody won Tuesday night's grand prize, the Mega Millions jackpot grew to an estimated $310 million — the largest since a $326 million Mega Millions jackpot was won by a retired New York principal on Nov. 4, 2014. (See Retired NY principal claims $326M lottery jackpot, Lottery Post, Jan. 12, 2015.)
The lump-sum cash value rose to a massive $211.1 million — the 16th-largest U.S. lottery cash value in history.
Friday's Mega Millions jackpot is the accumulation of 28 consecutive drawings without a top prize winner. The current jackpot run-up started on March 11 as a $15 million grand prize — it has been more than three months since Mega Millions has had a jackpot winner.
The last big Mega Millions winner was Michael Burkett of Washington state, who claimed a $157 million jackpot in the March 8 Mega Millions drawing. (See Washington Mega Millions winner claims $157 million jackpot, Lottery Post, Mar. 25, 2016.)
Lottery players can see an after-tax analysis of the current Mega Millions jackpot by visiting USA Mega's Jackpot Analysis page.
Players should note that jackpot amounts are conservative estimates provided by the lotteries, and are often somewhat higher by the time the drawing occurs. Occasionally the official jackpot estimate is raised even before the drawing, due to larger-than-expected sales.
In Tuesday night's Mega Millions drawing, there was no jackpot winner, but 1 lucky player from California matched the first 5 numbers, winning the second prize of $814,806. All the other jurisdiction that offer Mega Millions pay a fixed $1 million second prize amount, but in California all prizes are awarded 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.
Another 60 tickets matched four of the first five numbers plus the Mega Ball to win a $5,000 prize. Of those tickets, 4 were purchased with the Megaplier option, increasing the prize to $25,000, and 6 were sold in California, where the prize is worth $7,230 this drawing.
The Mega Millions winning numbers for Tuesday, June 14, 2016, were 36, 37, 38, 52, and 62, with Mega Ball number 6. The Megaplier number was 5.
Following the Tuesday drawing, the Mega Millions annuity jackpot estimate was raised $17 million from its previous amount of $293 million. The cash value was raised by $12.9 million, from its previous amount of $198.2 million.
Mega Millions is currently offered for sale in 44 states, plus Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are Tuesdays and Fridays at 11:00 pm Eastern Time. Tickets cost $1 each.
The Mega Millions winning numbers are published at USA Mega (www.usamega.com) minutes after the drawing takes place.
Top 25 United States cash value jackpots of all time
Tuesday's Mega Millions jackpot currently stands as the 16th-largest lottery cash value jackpot of all time in the United States. 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.
- Powerball: $983.5 million cash, Jan. 13, 2016 ($1.5864 billion annuity) - California, Florida, Tennessee
- 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: $381.1 million cash, Feb. 11, 2015 ($564.1 million annuity) - North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Texas
- Powerball: $370.9 million cash, May 18, 2013 ($590.5 million annuity) - Florida
- Mega Millions: $347.6 million cash, Dec. 17, 2013 ($636 million annuity) - California, Georgia
- Powerball: $284 million cash, May 7, 2016 ($429.6 million annuity) - New Jersey
- 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
- Mega Millions: $230.9 million cash, Mar. 18, 2014 ($414 million annuity) - Florida, Maryland
- Powerball: $227.8 million cash, Feb. 19, 2014 ($425.3 million annuity) - California
- 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
- Mega Millions: $211.1 million cash, Jun. 17, 2016 ($310 million annuity) - Preliminary estimate, not won yet
- 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: $197.5 million cash, Nov. 4, 2014 ($321 million annuity) - New York
- Powerball: $197.4 million cash, Sep. 30, 2015 ($310.5 million annuity) - Michigan
- Mega Millions: $194.4 million cash, Aug. 31, 2007 ($330 million annuity) - Maryland, New Jersey, Texas, Virginia
- Powerball: $191.9 million cash, Mar. 2, 2016 ($291.4 million annuity) - Florida
- 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
The number of cash value jackpots in the top 25, by lottery game, are:
- Powerball: 13
- Mega Millions: 11
- The Big Game: 1
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.
And as our population grows, so will our lottos grow, as the amount of new lotto-playing-age population increases.
The 1 billy mark, back in January was an inevitable milestone.
I'm not impressed, it will be an average play day for me.
This slow moving MM is giving us regular players more chances to win. More draws mean I have a better chance of winning the jackpot. Instead of a first-time player.
WOW! Nineteen Months!
This jackpot is ripe to be won.
Hear, Hear!
Feeling it, good luck players.
Ain't nobody winning, this thing is gonna roll for months.
To increase your chances of winning, I would add a line I call extreme trends. Extreme trends is a sequence of 5 numbers in a row.
The last 4 drawings produced high numbered combinations. I suspect we will see balls this lap with everything under 40.
COME ON MEGA MILLIONS!!! I'M READY TO WIN TOMORROW!!!
l still see California bringing this jackpot home.We have no problem letting the other States squabble over the runner up prizes.
Grace under pressure.
I play Mega Millions by subscription with my home address is the US. Hopefully I will win!!!!!
$2
Woe Trax, that was good brother!!!
Haha...You're welcome Jim!!!!
So, based on the happiness postulate;
Winning the lottery is like a butterfly;
the more you chase it,
the more it will elude you,
and the more it eludes you,
the more you want to chase it... and chase it... and chase it some more... and more... and even more still,
but if you turn your attention to other things,
it will occur when you least expect it,
in the grill of your car.
Moral of the story: If you're going to hit it, you're going to hit it.
And I am feeling it hearsetrax, I'm feeling Friday is my day!
The jackpot is doing exactly what they wanted it to do....climb without being won for a long period.
The odds have been increased to astronomical proportions and unless you stepped in something before buying your ticket, it's going to continue to climb.
Since you still need to buy a ticket for a chance to win, that's just what us "regular" players will continue to do. Although, when the jackpot gets high enough, many non-regular players jump on the jackpot wagon for a chance at a "life changing" amount.
Okay well here is what I see. By July 4(5th) since that is when that drawing time frame it reaches $450- $520 million. Notice that every $10- $15 million. I have been watching on that usamega site too. It could go to $650 million before someone does hit and depends how many tickets are sold too.
LMFAO. Too funny.
It's taken 19 months to reach 300+ in my opinion... or at least that's what it feels like!
Maybe after this roll we will see some serious increases! Cause all the (I only play it when it goes over 300 million) money comes in. I've played at least 2 dollars every draw in Georgia and Tennessee... Georgia has had a jackpot drought... Tennessee hasn't won Mega in a while. Hopefully I will be playing in the right state. At least I can get that right!
Hoping for a LP Member win!
My extreme trends line is 71-72-73-74-75 5 :-D
14 17 31 71 74- MB 14
Just my $.02 but sad to say after the $1B + PB JP in January it's going to take a lot more than $310M to get people excited.
Didn't know you had a US address; always wondered how you played in Australia.
I need my subscription ticket to win too, long overdue and it would be a first for Massachusetts for an out of stater to win the lotto.
I am American, but I am married to an Aussie. If I win in Australia, all prizes are tax-free and I have to right to remain anonymous.
The jackpots also suck when compared to the American jackpots. The top lottery prize in Austrailian history is 112 million Austrailan dollars, split 4 ways. I'd rather get taxed silly and still walk away with a lot of money.
Maybe I was told wrong when stationed in Deutschland in the late 80's. Was told that if you won the German lottery, the IRS would still go after 'their share' (BS). So wouldn't your wife have to collect the money?? Just curious. Good luck to the both of you.
Ok lottery gods,lets do this.
American citizens have to pay US taxes on income that they earn overseas. If he still has US citizenship, he will have to pay the taxes on it come the following April, unless the US and Australia have some sort of treaty or agreement or something saying otherwise.
Some German friends told me you should get a German to cash the winnings to avoid this, but they sure tax the heck out of their lotteries. I won DM15, they mailed a check minus the taxes. It was only about $7 worth for Heaven's sake.
His wife, unless she has dual citizenship would be exempt from US taxes if I understand the tax code properly, but what do I know?
A Non-US citizen living outside of America has no reason to pay US taxes, unless she wins a US lottery. If she won a US lottery, she would have a 30% Federal withholding instead of the standard 25%.
Sorry to burst your bubble, music*, nobody won last night. It really sucks seeing CA was one of three states that had five numbers, yet your lottery paid barely over $310K for that. I know I'm preaching to the choir, but this angers me even though I rarely get to play out there.
More cash for me to stash!
Told y'all this one would be "Cain't win"
New Jersey won another 5+0 again. Buy tickets in New Jersey if you possibly can. The New Jersey lottery has never sold a losing MM or PB ticket not once, ever. Every player at least wins $1.
Where did you get those facts for your last sentence? I'm sure plenty of tickets were scanned only for the display to read 'Sorry, not a winner'.
Yes, you are right. My Shelia would have to collect the prize money, to keep uncle Sam's paws off the money. It can be very difficult for Americans to open bank accounts abroad, as many foreign banks don't want to deal with the IRS.
Hey bleudog, that's incorrect. Germn lottery winnings aren't taxed. Currently 1 line of 6/49 is 1 Euro plus processing fee between 0,10 in Bremen and up to 0,60 Euro in Lower-Saxony. These pay for infrastructure of the lottery (or so they say to justify this ripoff charge...).
I'm not sure why they sent a check though? You could just cash your ticket at every retailer? I understand your time in Germany was a little while ago, but back then that was possible too, I'm not sure if you are maybe confusing things?
Not sure what taxes you paid on that check, maybe checking fee as Germany does not collect tax on lottery winnings and the IRS wouldn't claim taxes from you on 17$?
As for the last part I agree, I looked into the taxation agreements between US and Germany and U.K., as U.K. winners in the past wo millions and didn't have to pay taxes (There was a turkish born english banker who won on a scratcher a few years ago in NY).
The taxation agreements are in place with the US and I think 17 European Countries, but notably not Switzerland.
The only part where I'm not sure is that while income taxes wouldn't be applicable, I don't know how sales tax figures in.
I honestly don't remember, believe it was 6/49?? don't even remember the name or why they sent a check to me in Fuerth (still don't know how to do an umlaut). I do remember the paltry sum and it had taxes taken out and was shocked over that. Yes the late 80's were some time ago. Good luck in your lotteries.
myturn,
Just wanted to let you know just opened up my check from the Massachusetts State Lottery Lucky 4 Life game subscription. Enclosed was a check for $25.00