WEST VIRGINIA (LOOTPRESS) – The Mega Millions® jackpot is climbing once again, reaching an estimated $619 million ($297.7 million cash option) for the next drawing on Tuesday, December 10.
If won, it would be the tenth-largest jackpot in the game’s history.
The jackpot has been rolling since it was last won in Texas on September 10, with no ticket matching all six numbers in the most recent drawing on Friday, December 6.
The winning numbers were 16, 21, 33, 39, 45, and the gold Mega Ball 24.
This marks only the tenth time since Mega Millions began in 2002 that the jackpot has surpassed $600 million.
It is also the third time such a significant prize has been offered in December, following a $648 million jackpot split between California and Georgia in December 2013 and a $685 million prize in December 2022 that eventually rolled into a $1.3 billion win in Maine in January 2023.
Millions of Winners Nationwide
Although the jackpot remains elusive, millions of tickets have claimed smaller prizes. Since the current jackpot run began on September 13, more than 15.3 million winning tickets have been sold.
This includes 38 second-tier prizes worth $1 million or more, spread across 18 states, including Ohio, New York, Florida, and Texas.
In the December 6 drawing alone, over 1 million tickets won prizes at various levels. Among them, 26 tickets matched four white balls and the Mega Ball, winning the third-tier prize.
Four of these tickets included the optional $1 Megaplier, doubling their prize to $20,000.
Record-Breaking Jackpots in 2023
Earlier this year, Mega Millions awarded two major jackpots: $1.128 billion in New Jersey on March 26 and $552 million to an online player in Illinois on June 4.
The Illinois prize set a record as the largest lottery win ever from an online purchase.
Mega Millions remains the only lottery game to produce six jackpots exceeding $1 billion, with winners spanning multiple states, including South Carolina, Michigan, and Florida.
The current record jackpot of $1.602 billion was won in Florida on August 8, 2023.
How to Play
Mega Millions tickets are sold in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands for $2 each. Players can add the Megaplier for an extra $1, which multiplies non-jackpot prizes.
Drawings take place at 11 p.m. Eastern Time every Tuesday and Friday in Atlanta, Georgia.
The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350, while the overall odds of winning any prize are 1 in 24.
Half of the proceeds from ticket sales remain in the state where the ticket was sold, supporting local initiatives and retailer commissions.
