The Mega Millions jackpot continues to grow as no winner emerged from the latest drawing. With the prize now worth a staggering $262 million, lottery enthusiasts are eagerly grabbing their tickets in hopes of becoming the game’s newest millionaire.
The winning numbers for the Tuesday, January 23rd drawing were 21, 28, 58, 69, 70, with the Mega Ball being 20. Unfortunately, no one managed to match all six numbers to claim the jackpot. However, there were zero tickets that matched all five numbers except for the Mega Ball, which is still worth a significant $1 million.
For those wondering how many Mega Millions winning numbers are needed to win a prize, it only takes matching one number – the Mega Ball – to secure a prize of $2. Matching two numbers alone won’t yield any winnings unless one of the numbers is the Mega Ball. In that case, the ticket is worth $4.
The next Mega Millions drawing is scheduled for Friday, and the jackpot is estimated to be an impressive $285 million, with a cash option of $135.1 million. The drawings take place twice a week, every Tuesday and Friday at approximately 10 p.m. CT. If you can’t watch the drawing live, you can always catch it on YouTube.
To participate in the Mega Millions, all you need is a ticket, which costs $2 per play. For an additional $1, players can add the Megaplier option to potentially increase their winnings outside of the jackpot.
While no one has won a Mega Millions jackpot so far in 2024, it’s worth noting some of the largest jackpots in history. The top three Mega Millions jackpots were an astonishing $1.58 billion in August 2023 (Florida), $1.537 billion in October 2018 (South Carolina), and $1.35 billion in January 2023 (Maine).
In terms of U.S. lottery jackpots, the top three are the $2.04 billion Powerball jackpot in November 2022 (California), the $1.765 billion Powerball jackpot in October 2023 (California), and the $1.586 billion Powerball jackpot in January 2016 (California, Florida, Tennessee).
As the anticipation for the next Mega Millions drawing builds, lottery enthusiasts across the country are eagerly awaiting their chance to strike it rich. Will the jackpot continue to grow, or will someone finally claim the massive prize? Only time will tell.
Chris Sims, a digital content producer for Midwest Connect Gannett, keeps a close eye on the world of lotteries and provides updates on Twitter at @ChrisFSims.
