If you're dreaming of a lucky Christmas, hope is still alive as the Mega Millions drawing nears Friday, with the jackpot surpassing $1 billion.
The top prize for Friday’s drawing is an estimated $1.15 billion, potentially the fifth-largest jackpot in the game’s history.
“We know that many people will likely receive tickets to Friday’s drawing as holiday gifts, and what a gift that would turn out to be if you ended up with a ticket worth a $1.15 billion jackpot,” Joshua Johnston, lead director for the Mega Millions Consortium said in a Wednesday statement.
But when will players know if they've scored big?
Here's what to know:
When is the Mega Millions drawing?
Drawings are held at 10 p.m. CT on Tuesdays and Fridays.
Local
That means the next Mega Millions drawing takes place Friday, Dec. 27 at 10 p.m. CT.
What are the odds of winning?
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The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350, while the odds of winning any Mega Millions prize are 1 in 24, according to lottery officials.
Tickets for the game are sold in 45 states, along with Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Mega Millions tickets are $2 a piece. Half of the proceeds from the sale of each ticket remains in the state where the ticket was sold.
Changes ahead
Mega Millions' ticket prices will rise from $2 to $5 in April. The increase will be one of many changes that officials say will result in improved jackpot odds, more frequent giant prizes and even larger payouts.
Lucky spots?
For those looking for ways to increase their chances of winning, the Illinois Lottery reveals its top 10 ‘winningest’ Mega Millions retailers in the state, the stores that have sold the most winning Mega Millions tickets in 2024.
What are the largest jackpot prizes?
Here is a look at the largest U.S. jackpots won and the states where the winning tickets were sold:
1. $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 7, 2022 (one ticket, from California)
2. $1.765 billion, Powerball, Oct. 11, 2023 (one ticket, from California)
3. $1.602 billion, Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023 (one ticket, from Florida)
4. $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016 (three tickets, from California, Florida, Tennessee)
5. $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018 (one ticket, from South Carolina)
6. $1.348 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023 (one ticket, from Maine)
7. $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022 (one ticket, from Illinois)
8. $1.326 billion, Powerball, April 7, 2024 (one ticket, Oregon)
9. $1.13 billion, Mega Millions, March 26, 2024 (one ticket, from New Jersey)
10. $1.08 billion, Powerball, July 19, 2023 (one ticket, from California)
