Mega Millions Jackpot Climbs to $900 Million After Friday Drawing
The Mega Millions jackpot has reached an estimated $900 million after no winning ticket was drawn in the nationwide lottery game last night, offering a life-altering sum to a potential winner.
Yesterday’s drawing, with winning numbers 48, 70, 23, 21, 16 and a Mega Ball of 5, was the 38th consecutive drawing without a jackpot winner – the longest such streak in the game’s history since it began in 2002. The previous record was 37 drawings, set in January 2021. The cash option for the next drawing will be $415.3 million. This extended run without a winner has fueled even greater excitement and ticket sales as the prize pool swells.
Lottery officials noted that while the jackpot remains unclaimed, numerous smaller prizes have been awarded during this run. “Through this jackpot run to date, there have been almost 11.7 million winning tickets at all levels, with total prizes exceeding $274 million thanks to significant enhancements in the lower-tier prizes after the game changed last April,” officials said. The odds of winning the jackpot remain a challenging 1 in 290,472,336, but many still try their luck; you can learn more about how to play the lottery from USA Today. Mega Millions is currently available in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
The last jackpot was won on June 27 in Virginia, and prior to that, jackpots were awarded this year in Ohio, Illinois, and Arizona. For those interested in understanding the broader economic impact of lotteries, the National Conference of State Legislatures provides detailed information. The next Mega Millions drawing will be held on Tuesday.
