Mega Millions Jackpot Continues to Grow
The Mega Millions jackpot is on the rise again after a recent win in Illinois at the beginning of June. The prize money for the upcoming Tuesday draw has reached an impressive $97 million. If you choose the cash option, the payout would be $46.4 million. This jackpot is quickly becoming one of the most talked-about events in the lottery world.
Details of the Next Mega Millions Drawing
The next Mega Millions drawing will be held at 11 p.m. ET on Tuesday. Winning this jackpot would make it the fifth-largest gaming prize and the largest since a $1.3 billion prize was won in Maine in January 2023. The largest ever Mega Millions prize was $1.537 billion, won in South Carolina in October 2018. As the jackpot grows, ticket sales increase, which further decreases the already small chances of winning.
Where to Buy Mega Millions Tickets
Mega Millions tickets are available in 45 states. However, they are not available in Alabama, Alaska, Hawai’i, Nevada, and Utah. Tickets can also be purchased in Washington D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. In certain jurisdictions such as Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, New Hampshire, North Carolina, North Dakota, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington D.C., tickets can be bought online by registering with local lotteries. Full details on where to buy tickets are available on the Mega Millions website.
Powerball Jackpot Details
The Powerball jackpot is also making headlines. The estimated jackpot for the upcoming drawing is $56 million, with a cash option of $27 million. The last Powerball jackpot was won on June 10 by a New Jersey player who took home $222.6 million. The next Powerball drawing will be held on Wednesday at 10:59 p.m. ET. This jackpot is expected to attract a lot of attention, especially given the recent increase in prize money.
How to Play Powerball
Playing Powerball is straightforward. Each ticket costs $2, and you can add the Power Play option for an additional $1 to increase non-jackpot prizes up to five times (or ten times if the jackpot is less than $150 million). Players select five numbers from a pool of white balls (1 to 69) and one red Powerball number (1 to 26). There is also a Quick Pick option available for random number selection. Prizes range from $4 (matching only the Powerball) to $1 million (matching all five white balls), except in California. The jackpot is awarded for matching all six numbers.
Where to Buy Powerball Tickets
Powerball tickets can be purchased in-person at gas stations, convenience stores, grocery stores, and some airport terminals. They are also available online through the Jackpocket app in select states. Powerball is available in Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and several states including Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Washington, and West Virginia.
Upcoming Mega Millions Drawing
The next Mega Millions drawing is scheduled for Tuesday night, with an estimated jackpot of $735 million. This is the sixth-largest jackpot ever for Mega Millions. The cash payout option is $356 million. No one has won the Mega Millions jackpot since December 8. In the last drawing, no tickets matched the white ball numbers (19, 20, 22, 47, and 58) and the Mega Ball (1).
Recent Mega Millions Winning Numbers
Last Friday’s winning numbers were: 3, 8, 31, 35, and 44; the Mega Ball was 16 and the Megaplier was 3X. There were no overall jackpot winners, but there were Match 5 + Megaplier winners in Virginia and Match 5 winners in California, Florida, Illinois, Nebraska, and Texas. The Megaplier feature, which most states offer, increases non-jackpot prizes by two to five times for an additional $1 per play. Before each regular drawing, the Megaplier is drawn from a pool of balls marked with “2X,” “4X,” and “5X.”
How to Play Mega Millions
Tickets cost $2 per play. Players pick five numbers from a range of 1 to 70 and one Mega Ball number from a range of 1 to 25. Easy Pick or Quick Pick options are available for random number selection by the terminal. To win the jackpot, all six winning numbers must be matched. Adding the “Megaplier” option can increase non-grand prize winnings.
Largest Jackpots Ever Won
The largest Mega Millions jackpot ever won was $1.602 billion in August 2023 by a single ticket from Neptune Beach, Florida. The last Mega Millions jackpot win was in December 2023, shared by two tickets in California for a $394 million prize. The next Powerball drawing is on Monday night with an $800 million jackpot.
Powerball Winning Numbers for June 19, 2024
The winning numbers for the June 19, 2024, Powerball drawing were 4, 27, 44, 50, 64, and the Powerball was 7. The Powerplay was 3X. There was no grand prize winner, but a Match 5 plus Power Play winner in New York won $2 million. The jackpot has now risen to $72 million with a cash value of $34.7 million.
Next Powerball Drawing Information
The next Powerball drawing will be held on Saturday, June 22, at 10:59 p.m. ET. Ticket purchase deadlines vary by state. For example, in Delaware, tickets can be purchased until 9:45 p.m. ET on the day of the drawing. In New Jersey and Pennsylvania, tickets can be purchased until 9:59 p.m. ET.
Odds of Winning
The odds of winning the Powerball jackpot are approximately one in 292.2 million. The odds of matching all five white balls are approximately one in 11.7 million. The overall odds of winning any prize are one in 24.87 based on a $2 play. The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are approximately one in 302,575,350.
Payout Options for Winners
Winners of both Mega Millions and Powerball can choose between an annuity or a lump-sum cash payment. The annuity option includes one immediate payment followed by annual payments over a total of thirty years, with each payment increasing by five percent annually to account for inflation. The cash option is a one-time lump-sum payment equal to all cash in the prize pool.
Conclusion
With both the Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots reaching impressive amounts, now is the perfect time to try your luck. Whether you prefer to buy your tickets in-person or online, make sure to get them before the next drawing. Good luck!
