Mega Millions Jackpot Nearing $1 Billion Ahead of Next Drawing: 'Tantalizingly Close'
“The jackpot keeps growing after no ticket matched all six numbers drawn Tuesday night," a press release read
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The Mega Millions jackpot just keeps growing!
After no winning ticket was purchased Tuesday, the jackpot continued to skyrocket, rising from $875 million to an estimated $977 million on Wednesday.
“Tantalizingly close to $1 billion, the jackpot keeps growing after no ticket matched all six numbers drawn Tuesday night – the white balls 24, 46, 49, 62 and 66, plus the gold Mega Ball 7,” read a Mega Millions press release.
Although no winners were picked for the jackpot, which now has a cash value of $461 million, 2,167,646 winning tickets were drawn on Tuesday night, including four that matched five white balls and 41 that matched four white balls, per lottery officials.
Related: Mega Millions Jackpot Hits $875 Million and Powerball Rises to $687 Million Ahead of Drawings
“Eleven of those are worth $20,000 each because they included the optional Megaplier (available in most states with an extra $1 purchase), which was 2X Tuesday night,” the lottery reported. “The other 30 third-tier winning tickets take home the standard $10,000 each.”
The next drawing will be on Friday.
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Since the lottery game began 22 years ago, the jackpot value has only reached this level six times — and it's only crossed the $1 billion mark five times.
“Mega Millions is the only lottery game that has awarded five jackpots exceeding $1 billion – all in different states,” lottery officials said. “South Carolina was the first in 2018, followed by Michigan in 2021, Illinois in 2022, Maine in early 2023 and Florida last August. The latter prize is the game’s current record jackpot at $1.602 billion.”
The last Mega Millions jackpot was won in two tickets sold in California in December.
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Mega Millions jackpot drawings are conducted at 11 p.m. ET on Tuesdays and Fridays.
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