Next Mega Millions Drawing
The next Mega Millions drawing is set for Tuesday, June 22, 2024, at 11 p.m. ET. The jackpot has reached an impressive $735 million, making it the sixth-largest jackpot in the game’s history. The cash payout option for this jackpot stands at $356.7 million. No one has won the Mega Millions jackpot since December 8, 2023, which has allowed the prize to grow to this substantial amount.
Recent Mega Millions Results
In the most recent Mega Millions drawing on Friday, June 19, 2024, no tickets matched the winning numbers. The numbers drawn were 19, 20, 22, 47, and 58, with the Mega Ball being 1. This lack of a grand prize winner has contributed to the growing jackpot. The last time the Mega Millions jackpot was won was on March 23, 2024, when a single winner from New Jersey took home $1.13 billion, the fifth-largest Mega Millions jackpot ever.
How to Play Mega Millions
To play Mega Millions, participants must select six numbers. Five of these numbers are chosen from a pool of 1 to 70, and one number, the Mega Ball, is selected from a pool of 1 to 25. Players can choose their numbers manually or opt for a “Quick Pick” where the lottery terminal randomly selects the numbers. For an additional $1 per play, players can add the Megaplier feature, which can increase non-jackpot prizes by two to five times.
Next Powerball Drawing
The next Powerball drawing is scheduled for Saturday, June 22, 2024, at 10:59 p.m. ET. The jackpot has climbed to $72 million, with a cash value of $34.7 million. This increase follows the most recent drawing on Wednesday, June 19, 2024, where no grand prize winner emerged. The winning numbers for that drawing were 4, 27, 44, 50, and 64, with the Powerball number being 7 and the Power Play multiplier being 3X.
Recent Powerball Results
In the previous Powerball drawing on Monday, June 17, 2024, the winning numbers were 30, 48, 53, 58, and 66, with the Powerball number being 9 and the Power Play multiplier being 2X. Similar to the June 19 drawing, there was no grand prize winner. However, one ticket in New Jersey matched five numbers, earning the holder a $1 million prize.
How to Play Powerball
Playing Powerball involves selecting five numbers from a pool of 1 to 69 for the white balls and one number from a pool of 1 to 26 for the red Powerball. Players can choose their numbers manually or let the lottery terminal randomly pick them. Each play costs $2. For an additional $1 per play, players can add the Power Play feature, which can multiply non-jackpot prizes by two, three, four, five, or ten times, depending on the jackpot size.
Upcoming Drawing Schedules
Both Mega Millions and Powerball have specific schedules for their drawings. Mega Millions drawings occur every Tuesday and Friday at 11 p.m. ET. Powerball drawings are held every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. ET. It is essential for players to be aware of these schedules to ensure they purchase their tickets on time.
Ticket Purchase Deadlines
The deadlines for purchasing tickets vary by state. For the upcoming Mega Millions drawing, tickets can be purchased until 10 p.m. ET on the night of the draw in New York. In New Jersey and Connecticut, the deadline is 10:45 p.m. ET. For the Powerball drawing, the ticket purchase deadlines are as follows: Delaware until 9:45 p.m. ET, and New Jersey and Pennsylvania until 9:59 p.m. ET on the day of the drawing.
Odds of Winning
The odds of winning the grand prize in both Mega Millions and Powerball are quite slim. For Mega Millions, the odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350. The lowest prize, which is $2 for matching only the Mega Ball, has odds of 1 in 37. The overall odds of winning any prize in Mega Millions are approximately 1 in 24. For Powerball, the odds of winning the grand prize are 1 in 292,201,338. The lowest prize, which is $4 for matching one red Powerball, has odds of 1 in 38.32. The overall odds of winning any prize in Powerball are approximately 1 in 24.87.
Prize Payouts
All prizes in Mega Millions and Powerball are set cash amounts, except for the grand prize. In California, however, prize payout amounts are pari-mutuel, meaning they are determined by sales and the number of winners. The grand prize winner has the option to choose between an annuity or a lump-sum cash payment. The annuity option is paid out as one immediate payment followed by annual payments over 29 years, each increasing by 5% to protect against inflation. The cash option is a one-time lump-sum payment equal to all the cash in the prize pool.
Historical Wins and Trends
Lottery jackpots have been reaching unprecedented amounts in recent years. In 2023, both Mega Millions and Powerball saw two grand prize-winning jackpots of more than $1 billion each for the first time ever. The highest lottery jackpot was in November 2022 when Powerball hit $2.04 billion, the second jackpot over $1 billion that year. These enormous jackpots are a result of rule changes that have made the games tougher to win, thereby increasing ticket sales and the size of the jackpots.
Additional Lottery News
In addition to the major jackpots, there have been several notable wins recently. A North Carolina man won a $100,000 lottery prize three years after winning $200,000. A Maryland man won a total of $250,000 with five identical lottery tickets. A birthday gift lottery ticket earned someone a $25,000 prize. These stories highlight the excitement and unpredictability of lottery games.
Conclusion
With the next Mega Millions and Powerball drawings just around the corner, the excitement is building. The Mega Millions jackpot stands at $735 million, while the Powerball jackpot is at $72 million. Both drawings offer players the chance to win life-changing amounts of money. Remember to purchase your tickets before the deadlines and keep an eye on the drawing schedules. Good luck to all participants!
