Half-billion jackpot is 4th-largest of all time
By Todd Northrop
What a wonderful Christmas miracle it will be for some lucky lottery player this year!
After 21 drawings without a jackpot winner, the multi-state Mega Millions lottery game now boasts a swelling jackpot of more than a half-billion dollars that could instantly put someone among the wealthiest people on the planet.
After nobody won Friday night's grand prize, the Mega Millions jackpot grew to an estimated $550 million — the largest since the record-setting $656 million jackpot set on March 30, 2012, and the 4th-largest United States lottery jackpot of all time (see full list below).
The lump-sum cash value of $295.3 million is also the 4th-largest on the all-time US lottery jackpot cash value list.
The current jackpot run-up started on October 4 as a $12 million grand prize — it has been 2½ months since Mega Millions has had a jackpot winner.
Lottery players wondering what all the cash will look like in their bank account after federal and state taxes are taken out can see an after-tax analysis of the current Mega Millions jackpot by visiting USA Mega's Jackpot Analysis page.
Undoubtedly, the rush of ticket sales over the next few days will propell the jackpot to an even higher amount before the drawing takes place Tuesday. After all, the Friday drawing was raised an extra $25 million by Friday afternoon. (See $425 MILLION: Mega Millions jackpot raised on huge sales, Lottery Post, Dec. 13, 2013.)
In Friday night's Mega Millions drawing, there was no jackpot winner, but 9 lucky players matched the first 5 numbers for a $1,000,000 prize: 1 from Colorado, 1 from Connecticut, 2 from Florida, 2 from Michigan, 1 from New Jersey, and 2 from New York.
Unfortunately, none of the nine second-prize winners purchased their ticket with the Megaplier option for an extra $1 per play. If they had, their prize would have been doubled to $2 million, because the Megaplier number drawn was 2.
The Megaplier option is not available in California, because the fixed nature of the prize increase offered with the Megaplier is not compatible with California's pari-mutuel payouts. By law, California awards all prizes on a pari-mutuel basis, meaning the prizes will change each drawing based on the number of tickets sold and the number of tickets that won at each prize level.
Also, a total of 230 tickets matched four of the first five numbers plus the Mega Ball to win a $5,000 prize. Of those tickets, 20 were purchased with the Megaplier option, doubling the prize to $10,000, and 27 were sold in California, where the prize awarded this drawing is $4,906.
The Mega Millions winning numbers for Friday, December 13, 2013, were 19, 24, 26, 27, and 70, with Mega Ball number 12. The Megaplier number was 2.
Following the Friday drawing, the Mega Millions annuity jackpot estimate was raised $125 million from its previous amount of $425 million. The cash value was raised by $67.1 million, from its previous amount of $228.2 million.
Mega Millions is currently offered for sale in 43 states, plus Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are Tuesdays and Fridays at 11:00 pm Eastern Time. Tickets cost $1 each.
A 44th Mega Millions state may be added in early 2014, as the state of Wyoming has approved a new state lottery with the intention of joining multi-state lottery games. (See Wyoming officially becomes 44th state with a lottery, Lottery Post, Mar. 14, 2013.)
The Mega Millions winning numbers are published at USA Mega (www.usamega.com) minutes after the drawing takes place.
Top 25 United States lottery jackpots of all time
Tuesday's Mega Millions jackpot currently stands as the 4th-largest lottery jackpot of all time in the United States. That position may rise before the drawing, as lotteries are typically conservative in their initial estimates, and brisk sales may push the jackpot estimate higher by draw time.
- Mega Millions: $656 million, Mar. 30, 2012 - Illinois, Kansas, Maryland
- Powerball: $590.5 million, May 18, 2013 - Florida
- Powerball: $587.5 million, Nov. 28, 2012 - Arizona, Missouri
- Mega Millions: $550 million, Dec. 17, 2013 - Preliminary estimate, not won yet
- Powerball: $448.4 million, Aug. 7, 2013 - Minnesota, New Jersey (2)
- Powerball: $399.4 million, Sep. 18, 2013 - South Carolina
- Mega Millions: $390 million, Mar. 6, 2007 - Georgia, New Jersey
- Mega Millions: $380 million, Jan. 4, 2011 - Idaho, Washington
- Powerball: $365 million, Feb. 18, 2006 - Nebraska
- The Big Game: $363 million, May 9, 2000 - Illinois, Michigan
- Powerball: $340 million, Oct. 19, 2005 - Oregon
- Powerball: $338.3 million, Mar. 23, 2013 - New Jersey
- Powerball: $337 million, Aug. 15, 2012 - Michigan
- Powerball: $336.4 million, Feb. 11, 2012 - Rhode Island
- Mega Millions: $336 million, Aug. 28, 2009 - California, New York
- The Big Game: $331 million, Apr. 16, 2002 - Georgia, Illinois, New Jersey
- Mega Millions: $330 million, Aug. 31, 2007 - Maryland, New Jersey, Texas, Virginia
- Mega Millions: $319 million, Mar. 25, 2011 - New York
- Mega Millions: $315 million, Nov. 15, 2005 - California
- Powerball: $314.9 million, Dec. 26, 2002 - West Virgina
- Powerball: $314.3 million, Aug. 25, 2007 - Indiana
- Powerball: $295.7 million, Jul. 29, 1998 - Indiana
- Powerball: $295 million, Aug. 25, 2001 - Delaware, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Hampshire
- Mega Millions: $294 million, Jul. 2, 2004 - Massachusetts
- Powerball: $276.3 million, Mar. 15, 2008 - West Virgina
For those keeping score, the number of jackpots in the top 25, by lottery game, are:
- Mega Millions: 9
- Powerball: 14
- The Big Game: 2
The Big Game is the original name of Mega Millions, from the game's first drawing on Sep. 6, 1996 through May 14, 2002. The name was changed to Mega Millions starting with the May 17, 2002 drawing.
Top 25 cash value jackpots
Since many lottery winners collect their winnings in cash, the lump-sum payout is an important measure of what a winning ticket could be worth.
Looking at the cash value, the upcoming Mega Millions jackpot ranks as the 4th-largest cash value in U.S. history.
- Mega Millions: $471 million cash, Mar. 30, 2012 ($656 million annuity) - Illinois, Kansas, Maryland
- Powerball: $384.7 million cash, Nov. 28, 2012 ($587.5 million annuity) - Arizona, Missouri
- Powerball: $370.9 million cash, May 18, 2013 ($590.5 million annuity) - Florida
- Mega Millions: $295.3 million cash, Dec. 17, 2013 ($550 million annuity) - Preliminary estimate, not won yet
- Powerball: $258.2 million cash, Aug. 7, 2013 ($448.4 million annuity) - Minnesota, New Jersey (2)
- Mega Millions: $240 million cash, Jan. 4, 2011 ($380 million annuity) - Idaho, Washington
- Mega Millions: $233.1 million cash, Mar. 6, 2007 ($390 million annuity) - Georgia, New Jersey
- Powerball: $224.7 million cash, Aug. 15, 2012 ($337 million annuity) - Michigan
- Powerball: $223.3 million cash, Sep. 18, 2013 ($399.4 million annuity) - South Carolina
- Mega Millions: $214 million cash, Aug. 28, 2009 ($336 million annuity) - California, New York
- Powerball: $211 million cash, Mar. 23, 2013 ($338.3 million annuity) - New Jersey
- Powerball: $210 million cash, Feb. 11, 2012 ($336.4 million annuity) - Rhode Island
- Mega Millions: $202.9 million cash, Mar. 25, 2011 ($319 million annuity) - New York
- Mega Millions: $194.4. million cash, Aug. 31, 2007 ($330 million annuity) - Maryland, New Jersey, Texas, Virginia
- Mega Millions: $185 million cash, Nov. 15, 2005 ($315 million annuity) - California
- The Big Game: $180 million cash, May 9, 2000 ($363 million annuity) - Illinois, Michigan
- Powerball: $177.3 million cash, Feb. 18, 2006 ($365 million annuity) - Nebraska
- Mega Millions: $168 million cash, July 2, 2004 ($294 million annuity) - Massachusetts
- Mega Millions: $167.7 million cash, Feb. 22, 2008 ($275 million annuity) - Georgia
- Powerball: $166 million cash, Aug. 25, 2001 ($295 million annuity) - Delaware, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Hampshire
- Mega Millions: $165.2 million cash, May 4, 2010 ($266 million annuity) - California
- Powerball: $164.4 million cash, won Oct. 19, 2005 ($340 million annuity) - Oregon
- Mega Millions: $164 million cash, Feb. 28, 2006 ($270 million annuity) - Ohio
- Powerball: $161.5 million cash, July 29, 1998 ($295.7 million annuity) - Indiana
- Mega Millions: $156.1 million cash, Sept. 16, 2005 ($258 million annuity) - New Jersey
Let's roll again lol.
The FRENZY IS ON!! The local media here in Baltimore was talking about Friday's drawing jackpot on every newscast and interviewing players at convience stores. I wouldn't be surprised to see the Jackpot go to $600 million before the next drawing. Of course, I'm going to get my tickets tomorrow.
It will hit around the 600 mil mark, I have the premonition, just wish I had the winning series of numbers to hit it!. Best of luck folks!
Roll baby roll !!!!!!!!!!!!
Friday 13, December: 19-24-26-27-70 and mega ball 12 were the drawing numbers. Plus the megaplier was 2 and not 3. Cool, edited already.
My last numbers were 5-12-28-51-74 and mega ball (13) My picks!
Im thining the next set of numbers are going to be a weird combination. So i will do my best to pick the most messed up combinations possible! WIsh me luck! LOL
I want to see the line at the Terribles lottery store at the Las Vegas/California border.
Season's Greetings Goteki54,
They wanted a Billion Dollar jackpot, and I think they'll get it just before Christmas..........after that drawing, then we'll have ourselves some winners.
Dreamer,
More money than I could ever dream of. Dream and dream.
Mine were 2-3-42-45-70 and MB 6. I always seem to get at least one or two correct in all my self picked numbers. Unfortunately, I'm still so far away from winning
Will this be the 1 billion $$$ jackpot?
Come on people Megapiler! Megapiler! Megapiler!
Spent 10 bucks on it today and got nothing its been like this since the matrix change
I knew the CV was low but seeing it with the other big jackpots really makes it stand out.
My last nght's Mega nos. were 12,16,21,25,28 and the golden no. 12, (the winning nos. were 19,24,26,27, 70 and no.12 as the golden number), thus clinching my fifth win in the new matrix. I am very much energized by the new Megamillions matrix. I think there is some glimmer of hope or maybe some light at the end of the tunnel....
Bigger and bigger!!!
What a wonderful Christmas miracle it will be for some lucky lottery player this year!
Wow! Wow! Wow! Party time!!!
Count me in!
Nothing on my tickets, but $6 to roll for the office pool.
singlewinnersinglewinnersinglewinner
I had 1+1 last night.
With the matrix change I don't see the point of buying more than one ticket.
I had a 2 + 1 last night!!
Oh wow I think mega millions is going to roll again on Tuesday and break records, here in Canada our Lotto Max was also not won yesterday so next week is going to be $50 million + 50 max million (50 extra chances of winning a $1 million) making it tied for the largest jackpot in Canadian history, all cash value and no taxes
I think it will hit $600 million before the next drawing!!!
I wonder why they raised the numbers to 70? The odds of winning is not of this world!
Yeah, that $550M was ultra ultra conservative. I should get bumped up to at least $650M-$700M range, world record breaking territory!
They actually raised them to 75.
I agree that it will hit that range!! I only hope that with Christmas so close the little kiddies don't have their stockings filled with losing mega million tickets.
$550 million woo Hoo
Lmao!
Wow!!!!!! May the winner do honorably with this RIDICULOUS BLESSING, to himself/herself, to family, friends, community, and less fortunate.
I only matched the mega ball last night. I might let it roll without jumping in on tuesday.
woo hoo is right!
The jackpot will get to a billion after this next drawing.
That's a lot of tacos.
Maybe it will be Christmas in December for me!
I cannot wait to see how much it is on Tuesday!
I will celebrate with high tea should I be so fortunate to win .............
The annuity value is just vastly more inflated than it used to be. The cash value is exactly what it should be, and would be advertised as a $420 million jackpot if they hadn't changed the annuity schedule.
Even that value is higher than it would have been a year ago, because interest rates are a bit higher. During the record MM run in March 2013 this cash value would have been advertised as a $411 million jackpot. Ironically, that would result in this jackpot being called the 5th largest, even though the (current) cash value does make it the 4th largest
Not that the cash value isn't a boatload of money, but as of now it's only about 61% of the $477 million record. Even if the final tally increases the advertised jackpot by $107 milion, which will result in a lot of hype about the "new" record, the winner(s) will get less than 3/4 of what the real record paid.
A real record will require the annuity value to reach about $888 million. Considering sales to this point, that probably requires another rollover. A more modest jump to 690 would mean enough cash to move up to the 3rd place spot. That's a good bit more likely without another rollover.
Here you go folks, Mega Millions meets the Twilight Zone.
Dateline: The near future
A representative of the MUSL today said that they knew no one would ever win MM with the new 75 number matrix. The rep. saidt they wanted to get everyone in a frenzy with the thought of a 1 billion dollar jackpot, knowing it would never be hit. The whole thing was a marketing test and the game wil resort back to the former matrix.
The MUSL says thanks for playing and Have A Lucky Day.
Wow!!!!!! May the winner do honorably with this RIDICULOUS BLESSING, to himself/herself, to family, friends, community, and less fortunate.
It seems like no concerns over the odds being ridiculous against you now. How fast people forget about everything with the amount being so high. Wake up people! You are like a baby feeding into this garbage. You stand a better chance of getting hit by an asteroid or comet.
Think about a list of things you have more than likely getting than the jackpot. Now that's the fact of the matter.
If you feel like you must play get one ticket only and let it be, but don't overdo it.
How about that
Good idea to come on a Lottery website and instruct people not to play because the odds are bad.
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