The Mega Millions jackpot has soared to an impressive $650 million this Tuesday, marking over three and a half months of accumulated prize money. This significant amount ranks as the tenth-largest jackpot in the history of the game, which has been running since 2002. For those lucky enough to win, the cash payout will amount to $304.1 million.
This drawing signifies the 33rd consecutive attempt to claim the jackpot, which has been rolling since the last major win in Virginia on June 27. A recent press release from Mega Millions noted that the jackpot continued to grow due to no tickets matching the drawn numbers, which on the previous Friday night were the white balls 9, 21, 27, 48, and 56, along with the gold Mega Ball 10.
The last significant top-10 jackpot was observed back in December, when the prize reached a staggering $1.269 billion. According to Mega Millions, improvements made to the game last April have resulted in hundreds of millions of dollars more being paid out in non-jackpot prizes compared to previous prize structures. In the drawing held last Friday, 416,751 tickets won non-jackpot prizes, aggregating to over $8.5 million.
Before the winner from June, there were notable payouts in Ohio in April, Illinois in March, and Arizona in January. Tickets are available for purchase at $5 each, sold in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Most ticket purchases must be made one to two hours before the drawings, which take place at 11 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesdays and Fridays in Atlanta, Georgia.
For hopeful participants, the odds of winning any prize in Mega Millions stand at 1 in 23, while the odds of winning the jackpot are significantly less favorable at 1 in 290,472,336. As excitement builds for this drawing, many are optimistic about their chances of taking home this life-changing amount.