This holiday season, a Mega Millions player has the chance to win a record-breaking jackpot of $1.15 billion after no one claimed Tuesday's prize. The upcoming Friday drawing offers the largest prize ever in December, with a cash option of $516.1 million for the lucky winner.
This marks only the seventh time in Mega Millions history that the jackpot has surpassed $1 billion. Previous billion-dollar jackpots were awarded in various states, including South Carolina, Michigan, Illinois, Maine, Florida, and New Jersey. The current record jackpot stands at $1.602 billion, won in Florida.
The excitement around the potential $1.15 billion jackpot has been heightened by the holiday season, with many receiving lottery tickets as gifts. The lead director for the Mega Millions Consortium expressed the joy of fulfilling dreams with such a significant prize during this festive time.
While no one matched all six numbers in the recent drawing, four tickets still won $1 million each by matching the first five numbers. These winning tickets were sold in California, Missouri, Wyoming, and Pennsylvania.
The Mega Millions organization highlighted that 2024 has been an unusual jackpot year, with only three jackpot wins so far, the fewest in a single year since the game began in 2002. Starting April 2025, ticket prices will increase to $5 per play, along with other enhancements to improve the game experience.
Mega Millions tickets are available in 45 states, Washington, DC, and the US Virgin Islands, with drawings held on Tuesdays and Fridays in Atlanta, Georgia. The odds of winning the jackpot are approximately 1 in 302.5 million.
