Mega Millions Jackpot Climbs to $843 Million
The Mega Millions jackpot has soared to an impressive $843 million, marking it as one of the largest jackpots in history. The recent drawing, held on Friday at 11 p.m. ET, revealed the winning numbers: 16, 21, 23, 48, 70, and the gold Mega Ball 5.
Longest Streak Without a Jackpot Winner
This drawing is significant as it represents the 38th since the last jackpot was won on June 27 in Virginia. This streak is now the longest in Mega Millions history, surpassing the previous record of 37 drawings set on January 22, 2021. That drawing resulted in a whopping $1.050 billion jackpot won in Michigan.
Increased Number of Winners
While the jackpot remains unclaimed, the excitement continues with many smaller prize winners. Lottery officials reported nearly 11.7 million winning tickets have been issued across all prize levels, totaling over $274 million in prizes. This increase follows recent enhancements to lower-tier prizes implemented last April.
- 256 third-tier winning tickets have been sold, with payouts ranging from $20,000 to $100,000.
- On November 4 alone, there were 606,046 winning tickets, amounting to over $12.2 million in prizes.
Recent Winners and Distribution of Prizes
Prior to the current streak, several significant jackpots were awarded this year. Notable winnings include:
- Ohio: $112 million won on April 18.
- Illinois: $349 million won on March 25.
- Arizona: $112 million won on January 17.
The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 290,472,336, which speaks to the game’s challenging nature. Despite the lack of a jackpot winner recently, plenty of opportunities remain for other substantial prizes.
Game Participation and Ticket Prices
Mega Millions is available in 45 states, including Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Tickets are priced at $5 for one play. The largest Mega Millions jackpot ever recorded was an astounding $1.6 billion, won on August 8, 2023.
