For just the fourth time in 2024, the Mega Millions® jackpot has soared past the $500 million mark. With no ticket matching all six numbers in Tuesday night’s drawing, the grand prize has rolled to an estimated $514 million ($241.0 million cash value) for Friday, November 29, the day after Thanksgiving.
The winning numbers from Tuesday’s drawing were 5, 22, 24, 39, and 42, with the gold Mega Ball 3. The jackpot has been climbing since September 10, when a Texas ticket claimed $810 million, the third-largest prize of the year.
Rare Year for Jackpot Wins
This year marks an unusual trend for Mega Millions, with only three jackpots awarded through November. By comparison, 2023 saw a record-breaking 10 jackpots, the most since a matrix change in October 2013. The current $514 million prize represents a sharp contrast to a relatively quiet year for jackpot wins.
The year’s previous jackpot winners include a $552 million prize claimed by an Illinois player on June 4 and a $1.128 billion New Jersey ticket from March 26. The latter prize remains unclaimed, with a deadline of March 26, 2025, before it reverts to participating jurisdictions.
Other Big Wins on Tuesday
While no one hit the jackpot on Tuesday, three tickets matched the five white balls to claim the game’s second-tier prize. Two of those tickets were sold in California, while the third, purchased in Louisiana, is worth $3 million thanks to the optional Megaplier, which tripled the prize for an additional $1.
Nationwide, there were 891,687 non-jackpot prize winners in Tuesday’s drawing. Among them, 19 tickets matched four white balls and the Mega Ball, earning the third-tier prize of $10,000. Five of those tickets increased their winnings to $30,000 by including the Megaplier.
In the 22 drawings since the jackpot began its current run, more than 12.5 million winning tickets have been sold across all prize tiers. This includes 34 second-tier prizes of $1 million or more, awarded in 15 states and jurisdictions, including California, Maryland, New York, Texas, and Virginia.
Mega Millions: A Game of Billion-Dollar Records
Mega Millions remains the only lottery game to produce six jackpots exceeding $1 billion. States with billion-dollar wins include South Carolina (2018), Michigan (2021), Illinois (2022), Maine (2023), Florida (August 2023), and New Jersey (March 2024). The Florida jackpot of $1.602 billion holds the record as the game’s largest prize.
Game Details and Odds
Mega Millions tickets are sold in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Tickets cost $2 each, with an additional $1 Megaplier option available in most states. Drawings are held at 11 p.m. ET every Tuesday and Friday in Atlanta, Georgia.
Half of ticket sale proceeds remain in the state where tickets are purchased, supporting local causes and retailer commissions. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350, while the overall odds of winning any prize are 1 in 24.
