Mega Millions jackpot soars to over $1B after no big winner in Friday night's drawing

Jackpot is 6th largest top prize in US lottery history

Saturday, January 7, 2023

Mega Millions jackpot soars to over $1B after no big winner

Nobody won the big prize in Friday's Mega Millions drawing, so the jackpot has risen to an estimated $1.1 billion.

The Mega Millions jackpot has risen to an estimated $1.1 billion after no one won big in Friday night's drawing.

Friday's top prize was estimated at $940 million, with a cash option of $486 million.

The numbers drawn Friday night were: 3-20-46-59-63 and Mega Ball: 13

The whopping $1.1 billion jackpot is the third largest lottery prize in U.S. history. That prize will be up for grabs in Tuesday night's drawing.

Friday night's jackpot of $940 million was the largest since a $2.04 billion Powerball prize was won Nov. 8 in California. A winner hasn't been announced for that record-setting payout.

There have been 23 straight drawings without a big winner.

The cash option would pay $568.7 million.

"In more than 20 years since the game began in 2002, there have been just three larger jackpots than Friday's estimated prize," the Mega Millions said in a news release.

Tuesday's drawing offered an estimated jackpot of $785 million, or a cash option of $403.8 million, and featured nearly 3 million winning tickets for prizes ranging from $2 to up to $4 million, the lottery said. Six tickets matched the first five numbers, winning the lottery's second-highest prize of $1 million each

Tuesday's jackpot of $1.1 billion would be the fifth largest jackpot of any lottery game in U.S. history.

The last Mega Millions jackpot was won in October, and the number of winning tickets at all prize levels has been growing across the country, the lottery said.

Tickets are sold in 45 states, the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

'It's ridiculous': Residents in the 5 states without lotteries feel Powerball envy

Five states, Utah, Nevada, Hawaii, Alaska and Alabama do not have a lottery. A mixture of reasons have kept the games away, including objections from conservatives or concerns about how a lottery would impact low-income families.

Mega Millions tickets are $2 each, and players have the option to add the Megaplier for an additional $1 for the chance to multiply non-jackpot prizes.

Mega Millions drawings are held every Tuesday and Friday.