The Mega Millions jackpot has surged to $1.22 billon—the fifth-largest in the lottery game’s history—as the drawing is set for 11 p.m. ET Friday.
Why It Matters
The odds of winning the jackpot are microscopically slim: 1 in 302,575,350. In 2024, only three jackpot winners have been declared, according to the Mega Millions website. The first won on March 26 in New Jersey, the second on June 4 in Illinois and the third on September 10 in Texas.
Friday’s drawing for the $1.22 billon jackpot has a cash-out option of $549.7 million.
How To Watch
Viewers interested in watching the winning numbers from the drawing can tune in on the Mega Millions YouTube channel. Several local news stations across the country also carry rights to air the drawing.
The winning numbers will be posted on the Mega Millions website after the drawing.
What To Know
Mega Millions has a drop-down list on its website of states allowed to participate. Each Mega Millions lottery ticket is $2. To play, you must pick six numbers from two different sets. A player must pick five numbers from 1 to 70, then one from 1 to 25. A player then wins the jackpot by correctly selecting all six numbers.
Here are the five largest Mega Millions jackpots in U.S. history:
1. $1.602 billion: 8/8/2023: One ticket in Florida.
2. $1.537 billion: 10/23/2018: One ticket in South Carolina.
3. $1.348 billion: 1/13/2023: One ticket in Maine.
4. $1.337 billion: 7/29/2022: One ticket in Illinois.
5. $1.22 billion: 12/27/2024: Estimated figure.
What People Are Saying
A Mega Millions spokesperson told Newsweek in an email on Friday night ahead of the drawing, “Yes, interest in tonight’s drawing is widespread and growing. When a jackpot grows to this size – currently the 5th largest Mega Millions jackpot in history – we not only attract our regular players, but also many others who like to play the game occasionally, or who get together with friends or coworkers to purchase tickets. The game is played in 45 states plus Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands, and tickets are selling well in all of the jurisdictions.”
Mega Millions said in a news release on Wednesday, “We know that many people will likely receive tickets to Friday’s drawing as holiday gifts, and what a gift that would turn out to be if you ended up with a ticket worth a $1.15 billion jackpot,” quoting lead director for the Mega Millions Consortium, Joshua Johnston.
“I can’t think of a better way to celebrate the holidays – whether Christmas, Hanukkah, Kwanzaa, the Winter Solstice, or any other way people choose to celebrate the season – than by helping fulfill the dreams that come with a prize like this and prizes that will be won at all levels of the game,” Johnston continued in the news release.
What Happens Next
The next drawing takes place at 11 p.m. Friday ET, with the following one on Tuesday.
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