The Mega Millions® jackpot continues to climb, with the estimated prize now at $619 million ($297.7 million cash) for the upcoming drawing on Tuesday, December 10. This jackpot marks the tenth-largest prize in the game’s history and the third time such a large prize has been offered in December.
Friday night’s drawing yielded no jackpot winner. The winning numbers were 16, 21, 33, 39, 45, and the gold Mega Ball 24. This extends a streak of 25 drawings without a jackpot winner since the last win on September 10 in Texas, when a player claimed an $810 million prize.
Rare December Jackpot Milestone
This is only the third time a Mega Millions jackpot has exceeded $600 million in December. In 2013, a $648 million jackpot was split between winners in California and Georgia. More recently, in December 2022, the prize grew to $685 million before culminating in a $1.3 billion win in Maine in January 2023.
Mega Millions, launched in 2002, has produced ten jackpots exceeding $600 million, with six of those surpassing $1 billion. The game’s record jackpot, $1.602 billion, was won in Florida on August 8, 2023.
Millions of Winners Despite No Jackpot Claim
While the jackpot continues to grow, millions of players have claimed other prizes. Over 15.3 million winning tickets have been sold during the current jackpot run. This includes 38 second-tier prizes of $1 million or more in 18 states, including California, Maryland, Texas, and New York.
In the December 6 drawing alone, there were 1,003,826 winning tickets across all prize tiers. Among these, 26 tickets matched four white balls and the Mega Ball to claim $10,000 prizes, with four winners doubling their payout to $20,000 by purchasing the optional Megaplier for an additional $1.
Record Wins and Unclaimed Prizes
This year, two other jackpots were claimed before the September 10 win. A $1.128 billion prize was won in New Jersey on March 26, and $552 million was awarded to an online player in Illinois on June 4, setting a record for the largest online lottery win.
However, the New Jersey jackpot remains unclaimed. The winning ticket must be presented by March 26, 2025, or the prize will revert to the participating Mega Millions jurisdictions.
Game Details and Odds
Mega Millions tickets are available in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands for $2 each. Players can add the Megaplier option for $1 to increase non-jackpot winnings. Drawings take place at 11 p.m. ET on Tuesdays and Fridays 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.
Top Mega Millions Jackpots to Date
| Amount | Date | Winning Tickets |
|---|---|---|
| $1.602 billion | 8/8/2023 | 1 (Florida) |
| $1.537 billion | 10/23/2018 | 1 (South Carolina) |
| $1.348 billion | 1/13/2023 | 1 (Maine) |
| $1.337 billion | 7/29/2022 | 1 (Illinois) |
| $1.128 billion | 3/26/2024 | 1 (New Jersey) |
| $1.050 billion | 1/22/2021 | 1 (Michigan) |
| $810 million | 9/10/2024 | 1 (Texas) |
| $656 million | 3/30/2012 | 3 (Illinois, Kansas, Maryland) |
| $648 million | 12/17/2013 | 2 (California, Georgia) |
| $619 million | 12/10/2024 | ? |
Mega Millions continues to capture nationwide attention with its growing jackpots and life-changing prizes. Players are encouraged to play responsibly and dream big as the next drawing approaches.
