Aug. 8 (UPI) — The Mega Millions jackpot surged to historic heights for the fifth time since 2018, and could be worth a record $1.55 billion after no ticket was lucky enough to match all six numbers in Friday’s drawing.
Ticket sales were booming across the country ahead of Tuesday night’s drawing, less than seven months after the grand prize last surged above $1 billion.
There hasn’t been a Mega Millions jackpot winner since April 18, although more than 36 million tickets have won smaller prizes ranging from $2 to $5 million, while 62 people took home $1 million or more in 27 states, lottery officials said.
The biggest winners in last Friday’s drawing were two tickets sold in Michigan and Tennessee that matched five numbers and won $2 million apiece because they included the optional Megaplier, which costs $1 more at the time of purchase.
Another six tickets sold in Louisiana, Missouri, Nebraska, New York, Oklahoma, and Texas won $1 million each for matching five numbers without the Megaplier.
A lump sum payout in Tuesday’s drawing would be worth about $757.2 million to the winner, with the IRS collecting on the staggering prize up front.
Lottery winners typically end up with a bigger share of the money by electing to take regular cash payouts over time, but would come out with far less if taking the pot all at once.
Friday’s winning white ball numbers were 11, 30, 45, 52 and 56, and the gold Mega Ball was 20.
Lottery officials said they were stoked about the growing enormity of jackpots in recent years.
“It’s exciting to watch Mega Millions grow,” said Georgia Lottery President and CEO Gretchen Corbin, who serves as director of the Mega Millions game. “As the jackpot climbs ever higher, we thank our players and retailers for their support, which benefits the many good causes funded by our participating lotteries.”
The Mega Millions prize has eclipsed the $1 billion mark four other times in its history, with the latest colossal jackpot vying to become the game’s largest-ever prize.
The previous record for a Mega Millions jackpot was $1.537 billion, won in South Carolina in October 2018 when one person picked all the winning numbers.
In January 2021 a Mega Millions ticket sold in Michigan hit for $1.05 billion.
In July 2022, a Mega Millions ticket sold in Illinois won $1.337 billion after 29 straight draws without a winner.
And a Mega Millions ticket sold in Maine in January won $1.348 billion.
The biggest-ever jackpot in U.S. lottery history was claimed in 2016 when the holders of three Powerball tickets split a $1.586 billion prize.
