Mega Millions Jackpot Worth More Than Patrick Mahomes’ 10-Year Contract

The biggest star and most impactful player in by far America’s most popular sport, Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes, is in the third year of a 10-year contract extension that makes him the highest-paid player in the NFL.

And if someone wins the Mega Millions jackpot Friday night by matching six numbers, they will score more money than Mahomes will make over all 10 years.

The Mega Mahomes contract is worth $450 million over 10 years. The estimated Mega Millions jackpot is $464 million (cash option: $228.2 million).

Although, to be fair, if a Mega Millions winner chooses the full $464 million, the annuity payments are stretched across 30 years.

Meanwhile, the Powerball jackpot reset this week after a player in Pennsylvania hit it for $214 million Monday night, meaning in Saturday’s lottery drawing, nobody will have a shot at earning even as much as Mahomes makes in a single year. The estimated top prize for Saturday is “only” $35 million (cash value: $17.4 million), $10 million below Mahomes’ single-season salary.

Just one mid-week millionaire

The first Powerball drawing after Monday’s big win came on Wednesday, with a $20 million jackpot and winning numbers of 8, 9, 23, 29, and 62, with lucky number 13 for the red Powerball.

The most anybody won was $100,000, achieved by seven players who paired four white balls and the red Powerball while playing the 2x Power Play multiplier.

Lottery Geeks estimates about 8.1 million tickets were sold for that Wednesday drawing.

For Tuesday’s Mega Millions drawing with a $435 million jackpot, an estimated 20.7 million tickets were purchased — and one of those, sold in New York, earned its owner an even $1 million. That ticket paired all five white balls (34, 55, 59, 65, and 70) but didn’t have the correct gold Mega Ball (12).

It was the 20th consecutive Mega Millions drawing, dating back to June 4, without a grand prize winner. If that number extends to 21 on Friday night, a $500 million jackpot will be possible next Tuesday.

Tickets for either lottery cost $2, with the option in many states to pay an extra dollar for the prize multiplier.

Powerball and Mega Millions tickets are available in all states except Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada, and Utah. Tickets for both draw lotteries are also sold in Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands, while only Powerball is available in Puerto Rico.

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