Mega Millions Jackpot Nears Record Levels at $1.15 Billion

The Mega Millions® jackpot continues to soar, reaching an estimated $1.15 billion ($516.1 million cash) for the drawing on Friday, December 27, after no ticket matched all six numbers in the Christmas Eve draw. If won, this would be the fifth-largest jackpot in the game’s history.

Holiday Excitement Grows with Record Prize Potential

“We know many people will likely receive tickets as holiday gifts, and what a gift it would be to win a $1.15 billion jackpot,” said Joshua Johnston, lead director of the Mega Millions Consortium. “This could make the holiday season unforgettable for a lucky winner.”

The winning numbers from the December 24 drawing were 11, 14, 38, 45, 46, and the gold Mega Ball 3. While no one claimed the jackpot, there were over 4.2 million winning tickets across other prize levels.

Notable Wins in December 24 Drawing

• Second-tier prizes: Four tickets matched the five white balls to win the $1 million prize, sold in California, Missouri, Pennsylvania, and Wyoming.
• Third-tier prizes: 106 tickets matched four white balls and the Mega Ball, earning $10,000 each. Thirteen of these tickets included the optional Megaplier, increasing their prize to $30,000.

The optional Megaplier, which costs an additional $1 per play in most jurisdictions, was 3X on December 24.

A Year of Record-Breaking Jackpots

The December 27 jackpot marks another milestone in what has been an unusual year for Mega Millions. The jackpot has rolled over since September 10, when a $810 million prize was won in Texas. Since then, more than 25.7 million winning tickets have been sold across all prize levels, including 60 second-tier prizes of $1 million or more.

In 2024, Mega Millions has seen only three jackpots won, the fewest in any single year since the game’s inception in 2002. By comparison, 2023 saw 10 jackpots won, the most since a major matrix change in 2013.

Past Billion-Dollar Jackpots

Mega Millions remains the only lottery game to produce seven jackpots exceeding $1 billion. The six jackpots claimed so far were won in different states:

1. $1.602 billion (Florida, August 8, 2023)
2. $1.537 billion (South Carolina, October 23, 2018)
3. $1.348 billion (Maine, January 13, 2023)
4. $1.337 billion (Illinois, July 29, 2022)
5. $1.128 billion (New Jersey, March 26, 2024)
6. $1.050 billion (Michigan, January 22, 2021)

The $1.15 billion jackpot for December 27 would join this exclusive club if won.

How to Play and Win

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 for $1 to multiply non-jackpot prizes. Drawings are held at 11 p.m. Eastern Time on Tuesdays and Fridays in Atlanta, Georgia.

The overall odds of winning any prize are 1 in 24, while the odds of winning the jackpot are approximately 1 in 302.6 million.

Top Mega Millions Jackpots

1. $1.602 billion – August 8, 2023 (Florida)
2. $1.537 billion – October 23, 2018 (South Carolina)
3. $1.348 billion – January 13, 2023 (Maine)
4. $1.337 billion – July 29, 2022 (Illinois)
5. $1.15 billion (est.) – December 27, 2024 (TBD)

A Jackpot Worth Celebrating

As the year-end holidays bring families together, the growing jackpot adds extra excitement. Whether playing for a chance at the grand prize or one of the smaller tiers, Mega Millions continues to inspire dreams of life-changing winnings.

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