The Mega Millions jackpot is inching closer to the remarkable $1 billion milestone following another drawing on Friday night that produced no jackpot winner. The estimated jackpot, which stood at $825 million, has now surged to about $944 million, with a cash option of $429.4 million, creating a buzz about the possibility of a lucky winner on Christmas Eve during the next drawing.
Since its inception in 2002, the Mega Millions game has seen 13 jackpots claimed in December, with three of those being won between Christmas and New Year’s Day. With the upcoming drawing scheduled for Christmas Eve, some hopeful players may wake up to extraordinary holiday cheer on Christmas morning.
In the most recent drawing held on Friday, Dec. 20, 2024, the winning numbers were 2, 20, 51, 56, and 67, with the Mega Ball being 19 and a Megaplier of 2X. While nobody claimed the jackpot, there were over two million other winning tickets at various prize levels, including five $1 million winners from states like Indiana, Arkansas, Illinois, and Pennsylvania.
As players look forward to the next drawing at 11 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Dec. 24, it is crucial to remember the odds associated with these lottery games. The odds of winning a Mega Millions jackpot are about 1 in 302.6 million, while Powerball’s odds are approximately 1 in 292.2 million. Despite the slim chances, excitement continues to grow, especially as large jackpots are becoming more frequent.
In recent years, the Mega Millions and Powerball games have seen a significant spike in jackpots exceeding $1 billion, with 10 such instances occurring in just the last five years, two of which were in 2024. The highest jackpot recorded to date reached $2.04 billion in November 2022.
On a more curious note, a $1.128 billion prize won in New Jersey in March of this year remains unclaimed, with the winner having until March 26, 2025, to come forward.
Lottery enthusiasts in Tennessee have experienced significant wins as well, with John and Lisa Robinson, who won over $327 million from a Powerball jackpot in 2016, standing as the state’s biggest winners.
As excitement builds for the next Mega Millions drawing, many players dream of what winning could mean for their lives. The potential for life-changing outcomes continues to inspire hope and speculative dreams during this festive season. Regardless of the odds, each ticket holds the promise of a wide array of possibilities—a hopeful reminder during the holidays.