The Mega Millions jackpot continues to climb after no ticket matched all six numbers in the Tuesday, December 26 drawing. With no winner on Christmas night, the top prize has now rolled to an estimated $940 million for the next drawing on Friday.
Jackpot Reaches Historic Heights
The jackpot currently ranks as the fourth largest in Mega Millions history and has grown steadily over the last three months with no big winner.
The winning numbers on Tuesday (12/26) were: 2, 8, 15, 19, 58 and the Mega Ball was 12. While no ticket had all six numbers, there were some smaller prize winners:
- One $30,000 winner in Florida
- One $10,000 winner in Georgia
The next drawing on Friday has an estimated $940 million jackpot. The cash value is $483.5 million. If won, it would mark the second largest Mega Millions prize ever.
Changes the Odds
Mega Millions changed the game’s rules in October 2017 to increase the number combinations and make it harder to win the enormous jackpots. And it’s clearly working as proven by this epic prize still up for grabs.
Whereas the chance at the jackpot used to be 1 in 258 million, the odds are now 1 in 302 million. While no one likes longer odds, the trade off is that bigger rolls lead to giant jackpot amounts.
Where Winning Tickets Were Sold
If Friday’s jackpot gets hit, it will be exciting to find out exactly where the nation’s newest millionaire resides. Looking back at recent big Mega Million prizes provides an interesting glimpse into exactly where across the USA these coveted tickets are purchased:
| Year | Jackpot | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $502 million | California |
| 2021 | $1.050 billion | Michigan |
| 2018 | $1.537 billion | South Carolina |
Twice in recent years, the record jackpot ticket was sold in South Carolina. Beyond that, winners seem to come from unpredictable places both small towns and major metropolitan areas.
Will Anyone Actually Win This Week?
While the headlines constantly tout the record jackpots, it’s easy to forget that actually matching the full winning numbers combination remains an incredible long shot.
There have been 21 weekly drawings in a row with no grand prize winner. Lottery officials estimate it’s been almost three months since anyone across the country has hit the Mega Millions jackpot.
Eventually a winning ticket will emerge. But whether that occurs this Friday night or if the Mega Millions jackpot continues ballooning into 2023 depends entirely on the lucky numbers in play this week.
Changes the Winners’ Lives
For those lucky ticket holders whose numbers finally line up, a massive Mega Millions prize represents a life-altering turn of events. Jackpot winners have the enviable task of deciding what to do with this sudden influx of hundreds of millions in new money.
While every big winner faces their own unique choices, common decisions include:
- Helping family members by paying off their debt, mortgages, etc.
- Early retirement from jobs and careers
- Moving to luxury homes and vacation properties
- Creating charitable foundations and donations
- Traveling the world extensively
For the rest of hopeful lottery players, this week offers excitement monitoring the ever-rising jackpot totals and wondering if this might just be your lucky break. Tune back in late Friday evening to catch the winning numbers live and see if a new millionaire gets made!
To err is human, but AI does it too. Whilst factual data is used in the production of these articles, the content is written entirely by AI. Double check any facts you intend to rely on with another source.
