Players across the United States are gearing up for a chance to win a life-changing sum as the Mega Millions jackpot swells to an impressive $650 million. This staggering amount has accrued over three and a half months, making it the tenth-largest jackpot in the history of the game since its inception in 2002. For those who prefer an immediate payout, the cash option would yield approximately $304.1 million.
The anticipation builds as Tuesday’s drawing marks the 33rd iteration of this jackpot run, which began after a winning ticket was sold in Virginia on June 27. According to a press release from Mega Millions, the jackpot continues to grow following Friday night’s drawing, where no ticket matched the drawn numbers: white balls 9, 21, 27, 48, and 56, along with the gold Mega Ball 10.
Historically, the last time the Mega Millions saw a top-10 jackpot was in December when the total climbed to an unprecedented $1.269 billion. Changes made to the game last April have reportedly increased the amount distributed in non-jackpot prizes by hundreds of millions compared to the previous structure. During the last drawing on Friday, an impressive 416,751 winning tickets for non-jackpot prizes were sold, accumulating over $8.5 million in payouts.
Recent major winnings have been reported across various states, with the last notable jackpot winner in Virginia, and previous payouts spanning Ohio, Illinois, and Arizona earlier this year. Tickets are widely available, priced at $5 each, in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. However, players should be mindful of ticket purchase cutoffs, which typically occur one to two hours before the drawing, held every Tuesday and Friday at 11 p.m. Eastern Time in Atlanta, Georgia.
The odds of claiming any Mega Millions prize stand at 1 in 23, while the chances of winning the coveted jackpot are significantly steeper at 1 in 290,472,336. As the latest drawing approaches, excitement and hope for a life-altering win continue to drive ticket sales across the nation.
