Mega Millions Drawing Tuesday Night Is For An Even Quarter-Billion Dollars

As far as nice round numbers go, $250 million has a certain ring to it. 

Rolls right off the tongue, no matter how you phrase it. You say $250 million, I say a quarter-billion. Tomato, to-mah-to. Both sound juicy.

After all, if the number we were discussing was, say, $249 million, no one — absolutely no one — would refer to it as “24.9 percent of a billion.” That does not roll off the tongue.

In any case, $250 million is the number to know, because that’s where Tuesday’s Mega Millions jackpot stands (the lump-sum cash option is a decidedly less round $117.3 million) after no one went a perfect 6-for-6 on last Friday’s drawing.

Friday’s numbers — 23, 26, 35, 41, and 43, with a gold Mega Ball of 7 — did mint a pair of millionaires, both from Missouri, who matched all five white balls but not the Mega Ball.

Lottery Geeks estimates 15.4 million tickets were sold for Friday’s game, which marked the 13th consecutive drawing without a winner.

The last winning Mega Millions jackpot was for over $800 million, which was won on Sept. 10 with a ticket sold in Texas.

Powerball jackpot begins to rebuild 

There was no Powerball jackpot winner on Monday night, which was just the second drawing since the last winner was crowned. That brings the top prize for Wednesday night’s drawing up to an estimated $39 million, with a cash value of $18.6 million.

Monday’s numbers — 21, 27, 32, 48, and 67, with a red Powerball of 17 — did not make anyone an instant millionaire, as nobody matched the five white balls.

Lottery Geeks estimates 6.2 million tickets were sold for Monday’s drawing with a relatively modest $29 million grand prize.

Tickets for either lottery cost $2, with most states offering a prize multiplier option for an additional $1.

Both Powerball and Mega Millions are legal in all states except Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah. Tickets for both draw games are also sold in Washington, D.C. and the U.S. Virgin Islands, while in Puerto Rico, customers can buy tickets for Powerball, but not for Mega Millions.

All-time biggest jackpots

Here is a list of the all-time top 10 U.S. lottery jackpots:

1. $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 7, 2022, won in California
2. $1.76 billion, Powerball, Oct. 11, 2023, won in California
3. $1.6 billion, Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023, won in Florida
4. $1.59 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016, won in California, Florida, and Tennessee
5. $1.54 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018, won in South Carolina
6. $1.35 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023, won in Maine
7. $1.34 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022, won in Illinois
8. $1.33 billion, Powerball, April 6, 2024, won in Oregon
9. $1.13 billion, Mega Millions, March 26, 2024, won in New Jersey
10. $1.08 billion, Powerball, July 19, 2023, won in California

And here’s the all-time top 10 by lump-sum cash value:

1. $997.6 million, Powerball, Nov. 7, 2022, won in California
2. $983.5 million, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016, won in California, Florida, and Tennessee
3. $877.8 million, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018, won in South Carolina
4. $794.2 million, Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023, won in Florida
5. $780.5 million, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022, won in Illinois
6. $776.6 million, Mega Millions, Jan. 22, 2021, won in Michigan
7. $774.1 million, Powerball, Oct. 11, 2023, won in California
8. $723.5 million, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023, won in Maine
9. $621 million, Powerball, April 6, 2024, won in Oregon
10. $558.1 million, Powerball, July 19, 2023, won in California