The anticipation is palpable as the Mega Millions jackpot soars to around $740 million for Friday night’s drawing, securing its place among the game’s largest jackpots ever. The lucky individual who matches all six numbers stands to claim an impressive $366.3 million lump-sum payout after taxes.
This year has already seen two significant winners: a New Jersey player who clinched an astounding $1.13 billion in March and an Illinois resident who scored $552 million in June. The current jackpot shot past the $700 million mark after Tuesday night’s drawing yielded no winning tickets.
With just a few days left until the drawing, hopeful participants are flocking to purchase tickets, each dreaming of snatching the seventh-largest jackpot in Mega Millions history.
Reflecting on the game’s history of colossal payouts, the 10 largest Mega Millions drawings have all occurred in the past 12 years. Notable among these are the $1.602 billion prize won in Florida on August 8, 2023, and an equally jaw-dropping $1.537 billion won in South Carolina on October 23, 2018. Other significant jackpots include a $1.348 billion win in Maine on January 13, 2023, and Illinois’s $1.337 billion win on July 29, 2022. The $1.128 billion prize from March 26, 2024, took home by a New Jersey winner, and a Michigan winner’s $1.050 billion on January 22, 2021, also stand out among Mega Millions’ legendary payouts.
To participate, one simply needs to buy a ticket at a local convenience store, gas station, grocery store, or purchase online in select states. Each ticket requires the selection of six numbers: five white balls numbered from 1 to 70 and one gold Mega Ball numbered between 1 and 25. For those overwhelmed by the odds, the “Quick Pick” or “Easy Pick” options allow a computer to randomly generate numbers.
Adding a “Megaplier” feature for an extra dollar could prove beneficial. This option can multiply non-grand prizes by two, three, four, or five times, with the Megaplier number drawn prior to the main Mega Millions draw on Tuesdays and Fridays. The 15 possible Megaplier balls are distributed as follows: five with a 2X multiplier, six with a 3X, three with a 4X, and one with a 5X.
Purchasing tickets is straightforward. They are available at gas stations, convenience stores, grocery stores, and even certain airport terminals. Additionally, the Jackpocket app, endorsed as the official digital lottery courier by the USA TODAY Network, facilitates online ticket purchases in numerous states and territories, including Arizona, Arkansas, and Texas, among others. The app simplifies the process, allowing users to choose their game, select numbers, place orders, view tickets, and collect winnings all through their phone or computer.
As Friday night approaches, excitement builds, and dreams of becoming the next Mega Millions millionaire are within reach for those who dare to play.
