WASHINGTON — Mega Millions players across the nation, including those in Southern Maryland, saw substantial payouts from the August 26, 2025, drawing, with total non-jackpot winnings exceeding $10.8 million, marking the second-highest single-drawing prize amount since the game’s relaunch in April 2025. No ticket matched all six numbers to claim the $253 million jackpot, which now rolls to an estimated $277 million for the Friday, August 29, drawing.
The winning numbers drawn Tuesday were 7, 12, 30, 40 and 69, with a Mega Ball of 17. Two tickets matched the five white balls for second-tier prizes: one sold in Mississippi worth $2 million and another in Florida valued at $3 million, reflecting the game’s new automatic multiplier feature that boosts non-jackpot prizes by 2X to 10X. Additional prizes at lower tiers totaled more than $5.8 million, distributed among thousands of winners nationwide.
This drawing underscores the enhanced prize structure introduced with the $5 ticket price in April 2025, which includes a built-in multiplier on every play. Since the relaunch on April 8, 2025, non-jackpot prizes have surpassed $239 million across all tiers, a figure that would have been only $55.5 million under the previous $2 game format. The changes, aimed at creating bigger jackpots more frequently and improving odds to 1 in 302.6 million for the top prize, have led to 18 Match 5 winners totaling $49 million in 12 jurisdictions, including California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and Washington. Third-tier prizes, ranging from $20,000 to $100,000, have been claimed 214 times in 37 jurisdictions.
The jackpot was last hit on June 27, 2025, when a Virginia player claimed $348 million and opted for anonymity. That win reset the jackpot to $50 million, the new starting point under the revamped rules, which also eliminated the break-even prizes and ensured every non-jackpot win is at least $10. For the upcoming August 29 drawing, the annuity option stands at $277 million, with a cash value of approximately $124.6 million before taxes.
In Southern Maryland, where lottery sales contribute to state revenues, residents can purchase Mega Millions tickets at more than 4,400 authorized retailers statewide, including locations in Calvert, Charles and St. Mary’s counties. Players select five numbers from 1 to 70 and one Mega Ball from 1 to 25, or opt for a Quick Pick for random selection. Drawings occur Tuesdays and Fridays at 11 p.m. Eastern Time, broadcast from a studio in Atlanta. While no major Mega Millions prizes have been reported in Maryland this year, the state has seen other lottery successes, such as a $200,000 Pick 5 win in St. Mary’s County on August 7, 2025, and a $1 million scratch-off prize in Salisbury in May 2025.
Maryland participates in Mega Millions as one of 45 states, plus the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands, with sales benefiting various public programs. Lottery proceeds in Maryland support the general fund, while casino and sports wagering revenues, which totaled $1.589 billion in fiscal year 2025, direct significant portions to the Education Trust Fund, including $606.2 million from casinos alone. This funding aids K-12 education, pre-kindergarten programs and school construction, though advocates note that overall education budgets exceed $7 billion annually, diluting the perceived impact of gaming revenues.
Mega Millions traces its roots to 1996 as The Big Game, evolving in 2002 to its current name and expanding interstate. The April 2025 overhaul marked the most significant update since 2017, increasing the ticket price to $5 and introducing automatic multipliers to multiply prizes up to 10 times, excluding the jackpot. Officials projected these adjustments would lead to average jackpots of $457 million, compared to $294 million previously, with faster growth due to adjusted matrices.
For Southern Maryland players, tickets must be bought in person at retailers like convenience stores and gas stations, with no online sales permitted in the state. Winners have 182 days to claim prizes, and those over $600 require a visit to lottery headquarters in Baltimore or an expanded cashing agent. Federal taxes apply to prizes above $5,000, with Maryland withholding 8.95 percent for residents on winnings over that threshold.
As the jackpot climbs, lottery officials remind players to play responsibly, noting that odds remain long but the game generates funds for essential services. In Maryland, unclaimed prizes revert to the unappropriated surplus, further supporting state initiatives. Past notable wins in the region include a group of Maryland educators who shared a $656 million jackpot in 2012, one of the largest in history at the time. With the next drawing approaching, Southern Maryland retailers anticipate increased traffic as hopefuls chase the growing prize.
