The Mega Millions jackpot has surged to an estimated $520 million ($240.1 million cash) for the Friday, October 3, 2025, drawing after no ticket matched all six numbers in Tuesday’s draw. The winning numbers on September 30 were white balls 4, 8, 27, 37, and 63, plus the gold Mega Ball 14. Despite no jackpot winner, the drawing produced 330,479 winning tickets across all prize tiers, totaling $8.8 million in prizes.
In the September 30 drawing, one California ticket matched all five white balls with a 2X multiplier, securing the second-tier prize. Five tickets won third-tier prizes by matching four white balls and the Mega Ball: one in Indiana with a 2X multiplier for $20,000; three in California, Georgia, and Texas with a 4X multiplier for $40,000 each; and one in New York with a 5X multiplier for $50,000. California’s prizes vary due to its pari-mutuel payout system, which adjusts amounts based on ticket sales and winner pools.
This jackpot run, now at 27 drawings, has yielded 10 second-tier prizes of $2 million or $3 million in states including California, Florida, Georgia, Mississippi, New York, North Carolina, and Virginia. Additionally, 155 third-tier prizes, ranging from $20,000 to $100,000, have been claimed across 34 states, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and West Virginia.
A significant game change in April 2025 raised the ticket price to $5 and introduced an automatic multiplier (2X to 10X) for non-jackpot prizes. This has significantly increased secondary winnings. Since April 8, over 12.9 million tickets have won non-jackpot prizes totaling more than $318 million, compared to $72.5 million under the previous structure. For players, this means a $5 ticket could yield enhanced payouts, with a minimum of $2 million for matching five white balls with the multiplier, up from the prior $1 million base.
Only four jackpots have been won in 2025: $112 million in Arizona on January 17, $349 million in Illinois on March 25, $112 million in Ohio on April 18, and $348 million in Virginia on June 27. This continues a trend of fewer jackpots, with 2024 recording just four wins, the lowest since Mega Millions began in 2002. In contrast, 2023 saw 10 jackpots, including a record $1.602 billion. The current run’s persistence highlights the game’s unpredictable nature.
Mega Millions drawings occur Tuesdays and Fridays at 11 p.m. Eastern Time, with tickets sold until 10:45 p.m. Players select five numbers from 1 to 70 and one Mega Ball from 1 to 25, or choose a Quick Pick. The odds of winning the jackpot are 1 in 302.6 million, but nine prize tiers ensure frequent smaller wins. In states like Maryland, winners of prizes above $25,000 must claim at lottery offices, such as the Baltimore Customer Resource Center, within 182 days. Federal and state taxes apply, with Maryland withholding 8.95% for residents on prizes over $5,000. Anonymous claiming is allowed for prizes above $25,000.
The game’s history includes notable wins, like a $731.1 million Powerball jackpot in Maryland in 2021, fueling hopes for a Mega Millions breakthrough. As the jackpot grows, players nationwide are gearing up for the October 3 drawing, with the potential for life-changing wins.