6th-largest Mega Millions jackpot of all time
By Todd Northrop
After its months-long build-up, the multi-state Mega Millions jackpot is finally starting to increase rapidly as tickets are bring scooped up by loyal and casual players alike.
In the Tuesday night Mega Millions drawing no player won the top prize, increasing the jackpot estimate for Friday night's Mega Millions drawing to $363 million, with a lump-sum cash option of $244.6 million.
That pegs the annuity jackpot as the 6th-largest jackpot in Mega Millions history, and overall tied for the 15th-largest United States lottery jackpot of all time. The cash option is the 9th-largest ever seen in any United States lottery game — and the third-largest Mega Millions cash value ever recorded. (See the full list of top-25 United States annuity and cash lottery jackpots below.)
The jackpot that Friday's Mega Millions grand prize is tied with at #15 on the list is rather significant to both Lottery Post and USA Mega, because that other $363 million jackpot was for The Big Game drawing on May 9, 2000 — the largest lottery jackpot the world had ever seen at the time, and the event that essentially launched BigGameLottery.com (the original name of USA Mega) and Lottery Post.
In fact, the first news post on USA Mega was "It's official! The Big Game is the largest jackpot in US history." Then on May 10th the exciting news that the record-setting jackpot was won was announced with the rather underwhelming-in-hindsight statement, "There were two winning tickets sold in Tuesday's record-setting $350 million jackpot." (Which was later discovered to be $363 million after the final tally of all ticket sales.)
To think that in the span of 15 years record-setting multi-state lottery jackpots went from $363 million to $1.6 billion is truly momentous. And during that time, Lottery Post and USA Mega have been documenting each rise and fall of every Mega Millions and Powerball jackpot.
However, in a blow to nostalgia, the next time a US jackpot cash value enters the top-25, it will knock the Big Game cash value from that May 2000 drawing ($180 million) off the chart.
Back to Friday's jackpot, lottery players can see an after-tax analysis of the current Mega Millions jackpot by visiting USA Mega's Jackpot Analysis page.
Friday's Mega Millions jackpot is the accumulation of 30 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 three and a half months since Mega Millions has had a jackpot winner.
Players should note that jackpot amounts are conservative estimates provided by the lotteries, and are often somewhat higher by the time the drawing occurs.
In the latest Mega Millions drawing that took place this past Tuesday night, there was no jackpot winner, but 2 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $1,000,000 prize: 1 from Michigan and 1 from Texas.
Neither of the two second-place winners purchased their ticket with the Megaplier option for an extra $1 per play. If they had, their prize would have been increased to $5 million, because the Megaplier number drawn was 5.
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 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.
A total of 64 tickets matched four of the first five numbers plus the Mega Ball to win a $5,000 prize. Of those tickets, 9 were purchased with the Megaplier option, increasing the prize to $25,000, and 4 were sold in California, where the prize awarded this drawing was $13,338.
The Mega Millions winning numbers for Tuesday, June 21, 2016, were 6, 13, 21, 49, and 50, with Mega Ball number 10. The Megaplier number was 5.
Following the Tuesday drawing, the Mega Millions annuity jackpot estimate was raised $30 million from its previous amount of $333 million. The cash value was raised by $18.4 million, from its previous amount of $226.2 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 lottery jackpots of all time
Friday's Mega Millions jackpot currently stands as the 15th-largest lottery jackpot of all time in the United States. That position may rise before the drawing Friday night, as lotteries are typically conservative in their initial estimates, and brisk sales may push the jackpot estimate higher by draw time.
- Powerball: $1.5864 billion, Jan. 13, 2016 - California, Florida, Tennessee
- Mega Millions: $656 million, Mar. 30, 2012 - Illinois, Kansas, Maryland
- Mega Millions: $636 million, Dec. 17, 2013 - California, Georgia
- Powerball: $590.5 million, May 18, 2013 - Florida
- Powerball: $587.5 million, Nov. 28, 2012 - Arizona, Missouri
- Powerball: $564.1 million, Feb. 11, 2015 - North Carolina, Puerto Rico, Texas
- Powerball: $448.4 million, Aug. 7, 2013 - Minnesota, New Jersey (2)
- Powerball: $429.6 million, May 7, 2016 - New Jersey
- Powerball: $425.3 million, Feb. 19, 2014 - California
- Mega Millions: $414 million, Mar. 18, 2014 - Florida, Maryland
- Powerball: $399.4 million, Sep. 18, 2013 - South Carolina
- Mega Millions: $390 million, Mar. 6, 2007 - Georgia, New Jersey
- Mega Millions: $380 million, Jan. 4, 2011 - Idaho, Washington
- Powerball: $365 million, Feb. 18, 2006 - Nebraska
- Mega Millions: $363 million, Jun. 24, 2016 - Preliminary estimate, not won yet
- The Big Game: $363 million, May 9, 2000 - Illinois, Michigan
- Powerball: $340 million, Oct. 19, 2005 - Oregon
- Powerball: $338.3 million, Mar. 23, 2013 - New Jersey
- Powerball: $337 million, Aug. 15, 2012 - Michigan
- Powerball: $336.4 million, Feb. 11, 2012 - Rhode Island
- Mega Millions: $336 million, Aug. 28, 2009 - California, New York
- The Big Game: $331 million, Apr. 16, 2002 - Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey
- Mega Millions: $330 million, Aug. 31, 2007 - Maryland, New Jersey, Texas, Virginia
- Mega Millions: $321 million, Nov. 4, 2014 - New York
- Mega Millions: $319 million, Mar. 25, 2011 - New York
For those keeping score, the number of jackpots in the top 25, by lottery game, are:
- Powerball: 13
- Mega Millions: 10
- The Big Game: 2
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.
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 9th-largest cash value in U.S. history.
- 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: $244.6 million cash, Jun. 24, 2016 ($363 million annuity) - Preliminary estimate, not won yet
- 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
- 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
I hope it will end soon, as I'd just like to see someone win it, including myself.
Already, I expect a mult-way jackpot split.
Getting interesting, good luck players.
I'm ready for a smokin' red hot jackpot!
Gonna be interesting to watch this slowly roll into the billions.
Trends (back to back number pairs) won again last night.
I think after July 4th it will be hit. Just depends what the amt is. Maybe $450- $550 million.
I'm buying one ticket. That's all I'm willing to spend on a game with 258 million to 1 odds.
My name isn't Todd but thanks for the support
If Todd ended up being the sole winner it would be interesting to see how LP changes as without a doubt there would be an influx of new members, many of whom would be antagonizing Todd for donations. Membership would double, after encountering unprecedented website crashes.
There she is...fifteenth place in the Lottery Jackpot hall of fame!
This has been a long run up. It still has a few more runs I believe. I think it runs between $550mil - $625mil. I would have accepted a $15mil Jackpot. But $363mil would be a world changing event. This will change many people's lives, is an under statement.
Hmmmm....$363M?? I love it!
Even the 30-year payment plan looks inviting. I do not know anyone who would complain about receiving a check in the mail once a year. It would be like a second Christmas or Birthday party.
This would take more discipline to not overspend. Live on a monthly budget of about $300,000.00/month. And a daily budget of $10,000.00/day.
What will you do with all of your free time? Do not underestimate this personal challenge.
Golfing, Shopping, Fishing, Hobbies, Volunteer for many different causes, College, Second career, Travel,
America offers so many choices to use your time wisely.
Amen Music*, America offers so much that I wouldn't have to leave the country to enjoy this $363M bounty. However, we still need to make America Great Again.
Remaining Anonymous After Winning the Lottery: Using a Trust Within a Trust
For high profile lottery winners who want even greater anonymity, a trust within a trust structure is recommended. This is an advanced strategy that should only be taken with competent and experienced legal counsel.
I'd like to be at the lottery office when a Cylon walks in to claim the jackpot. At least I am assuming that the picture Todd posts with is a selfie.
Count me in!
go chase your fleas
.
If I won the JP, I think what I would spend my free time investigating F1 Racing, and hope I could could get good enough to participate in, or be invited to race in one of the "Big Boy" races: Monaco, etc.
NASCAR doesn't interest me, as I'd hate to fall asleep behind the wheel.
.
Thank you for the Tw/iT suggestion. I will definitely look into that.
But gosh-darn folks, I just want $1 million minus taxes. I'd be fine with that, for a long while.
I sure hope you're joking about that, AND, I hope you are getting paid by Friday,
so you can sink an ever-increasing amount into random tickets for the 6/24/2016 drawing.
As to politics,"Comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable".
Sometimes change is difficult. Such as moving from one home to another.
Excellent post Music! At my age I would not take the annuity but the thought of receiving money every year would be nice, but then so would looking at your investment statements, bank accounts etc. I honestly dont think I could spend $10,000 a day, well at least after maybe a week or two to get spending out of my system. Maybe a once a week donation for Salvation Army, a church, animal shelter, habitat for humanity, and I am sure there are plenty of causes for our veterans. Wounded Warriors was my choice but I am rethinking them after the story about their lavish spending for parties and meetings. The holidays
are coming and you can be a secret santa 
, pay off peoples lawaways, all anonymously of course
.
You are right, there is a lot of things that can be done right here in the Good Ole USA.
This I don't understand. How is it helping you if a winner gives you some scraps off their dinner table?
I wouldn't ask Todd for money, I'd send him $10 and ask him to buy tickets for me!
That's the way to do it!
"...in the span of 15 years record-setting multi-state lottery jackpots went from $363 million to $1.6 billion is truly momentous"
Shouldn't that last word be 'monotonous' ?
Well... While yaw are worrying about this MM JP I will casually scoop up PB :-)
"...in the span of 15 years record-setting multi-state lottery jackpots went from $363 million to $1.6 billion is truly momentous"
Shouldn't that last word be 'monotonous' ?
$363 million....COME TO PAPA
Here in California, I will get a check for $184 million. I will still owe the IRS 14.6%.
I am considering investing in Mutual funds with the help of The Mutual Fund Store. Mutual funds are boring but since I will look at this huge amount of a College endowment fund then this may be a prudent move. A conservative and diversified move on my part.
I am sure that the Discount Brokerage Firm and The Mutual Fund Store will be happy to get my business.
See you all in the Winner's circle.
PB was struggling to rise there for a long time. But now is quickly catching up. I think player fatigue is wearing heavy on both games. Even my own state lotto struggles to survive.
I don't need or want all of it. I'd just like a decent winning ticket to turn in. Gl!
I bought a ticket for this next draw, first one in over 3 months...forgot the MP.
Was about 50 miles from home when I spotted a place called Speedy's liquors.
I used to have a dog called Speedy, and since the JP is up there and I wasn't ready for a trip to DE
I figured WTH !
$363. Mega Million GOOD LUCK Everyone
Wow 50 miles where you live back in the woods Watch out they is a bear walking around i assume you seen him do you have a T.V. i am not for sure where he lives but they are watching him.
Why you call your dog Speedy was he fast? was your dog spotted...your funny.
Tonights the night. If someone here hits the jp...I expect them to tell us about it asap!
LiveInGreenBay, Your expectations for a LP winner to come out asap will be dashed. Do not hold your breath.
I am debating with myself whether or not to notify family and friends. I think that they would understand why I was silent about my win.
I do plan on PM Todd before I take the ticket in to get it validated and claim my prize. I will run a written statement by him.
There are some things that I need to do before collecting. I will place the winning ticket into a bank's safe box while I complete those tasks.
Good Luck and I hope that Fate smiles upon you.
Hey...If you won and posted it...All we'd know is music from California won. LOL!
Welcome back helpmewin,
Haven't seen you post in a while.
Not many bear sightings here in the south. That bear that walks upright...
I think that's the one you're talking about, is 150 some miles north of here
up near the NY. border.
Yup, Speedy was fast...like a bullet...hey that's a good dog name also.
So say we all.
Someone from a North Dakota truck stop will hit it.
I'm in
Nope. Can't win continues on to Tuesday and a 390M jackpot.
Yep, "can't win" is so powerful with this one. I believe it won't be won until EVERY number combination is sold. The JP will roll into the billions before that happens.
It will roll until 2059 at which point the jackpot will be 3 trillion dollars.
How would a trust within a trust protect you? Your real name is needed in most states to claim the JP. All a journalist has to do is request it. Moving to another state, changing your name to a common one, updating your records, coming back home but to a different address (or using a homeless shelter one), updating your records keeping your new name, and then claiming your JP close to the deadline using a trust might do better for your anonymity in some states, but still it is not a bullet-proof strategy. I think any news reporter worth its salt can find you but I think it will be difficult for them to know which John Smith is the winner, unless you flaunt your wealth. And months later they'd probably have moved on from the story. The danger will be years later from those reporters doing "Where are they now?" stories who really want to find you.
By then your mansion security boys can brush them away.
The way I understand it is that the trust has a board of directors e.g. lawyers from the law firm of the winner. The jackpot would be claimed by the trust, the lawyers names would be on the paper, however, the trust beneficiary - the actual winner/you - is private information that only the trust itself has knowledge of.
That's right, but still like that in most states your lawyer has to provide to the lottery the name(s) of the actual winner(s) of the jackpot, I assume with their ID and everything. The lottery needs to do a background check as far as debt owed to the state, child support, etc. and deduct it, prior to releasing the dough. If claiming by trust, the winner will be known to the public as "Trust Name Here" but the state will release his/her/their real name to any reporter who comes knocking on their door.
Here in California your name and the city where the ticket was purchased is made public.
You can decline the press availability, the grip and grin photo shoot with the big check, and the only photo they can use will be the one of the tickets' front side.
I believe that I would pay a high price if I did the press interview. Like what happened to the Robinsons in Munsford,Tennessee. The Press will tire of chasing me and move onto to more current events.
I will give the press a written statement which I will pass onto them through the Lottery officials. I will write in it information about Lottery Post and USAMEGA, Todd Northrop, my nickname here on LP. First I will run it by Todd.
They say nobody won the jackpot. So the jackpot rolled to $390 million.
A $27 million rollover with a jackpot at $363 million. 4 years ago I wouldn't have thought it possible.
I want to hear them say they're still happy with this result after changing the matrix. That'll make for a good laugh.
On the plus side, low ticket sales increases the probability it'll keep rolling, so I guess that's a silver lining.
And didn't it take 30 or so draws?
I'm having trouble seeing 30+ rollovers as a silver lining.
When there are frequent winners, at least every month or two, I can rationalize going against the odds by saying "somebody is going to win, I'll put my dollar in so it could be me." That's turning into "no one wins, why bother". I didn't buy any tickets at all last week.
Maybe you're becoming an occasional player...like someone that buys only when the JP is so big that there will definitely be a winner !
I have 1 line for this draw and had 1 for the last, but they are the first I had in over 3 months.
Out of curiosity, I looked up previous results. Years 2012, 2013, and 2014 -- once the jackpots got into the high 200s or 300s the roll overs were 60 million and much higher. Since then, no. So, yes, something is going on.
Even though they're separate lotteries it seems when both are climbing together--MM & PB the jackpots climb slower than normal. PB just nudged up $19 million for instance.
Maybe someone mentioned this already but anyone notice the mega balls? Last 3 games 9, 10, 11.....
so do we see 12 on Tuesday?
A 2nd place winner from Oregon was drawn in the Powerball jackpot last night : Here's hoping it's Weshar75.
According to his blog he didn't match a single number on last nights drawing. It would have been nice had his luck finally turned around.
I'm holding Tuesday's winning ticket
actually I hope to even match one number, so far my MM tickets haven't hit on anything
It's a silver lining only because the chances of rollovers are higher. I'm not saying low sales are a good thing, just that at least the chance of a larger JP is likely before the frenzy kicks in. Such low sales on a JP valued at over $350 million is otherwise very pitiful and I too never bothered to buy any tickets. I bought tickets for the $333M drawing. When I won nothing, I couldn't be bothered to buy more tickets. This go around, for me, the odds just seem outweigh the dream of winning.
Let's say it goes a little further than that.
Not just Weshar but quite a few people jinx themselves by 'claiming' jackpots beforehand.
I don't play just for the jackpot, though that would be great to win, but I also play for second prize, and I would be willing to bet nobody here would turn down a million dollars.
I do, too. Unfortunately, in Calif, the second prize is rarely a million. At one time it did get over 2 mil but I am only aware of that happening once.
I also play for 2nd place ,, It would more then make me happy and provide short term joy and stability in my life that I would hope to parlay into long term stability and joy
Naturally of course I would be very happy with jackpot win
Not according to Cynthia Stafford she Vision it and made it happen
I'm talking about posters here on LP when the jackpot gets big.
Since we talking about " what ifs" Coin Toss,how about this scenario: you visit their blog, you like the numbers you see that they have posted and decide to play them. Thing is, they forget to play and lo and beyond- those numbers win.
Question: Would you feel that you a little" on the hook" because they failed to played theirs? Would you throw them a bone as a courtesy because their numbers put you firmly on the road to happiness?
That would be the last thing on my mind noise-gate.
Even though there is well over $100 million separating MM & PB jackpots, notice how they haven't thrown in a few extra million just before the drawing(s). For example, MM is $390 million this morning, I doubt they'll toss in $10 million to make it $400 million. There is no incentive for them to do so @ this point. Same point for Powerball.
If you visit Lake Tahoe noise-gate, throw her a big kiss for me. That is my favorite place of all. JMH