WASHINGTON — The Mega Millions jackpot is getting close to $1 billion, after another drawing Tuesday failed to create a grand prize winner.
The jackpot is currently estimated to be $977 million ahead of Friday's drawing, though it could rise before then. If the estimate stays the same and no one wins Friday, it will cross the billion-dollar mark for next week's drawings.
This is just the sixth time in the lottery game's nearly 22-year history that the jackpot has gone this high.
If somebody does match all the numbers right on Friday, they'll have the option of taking a lump sum of $461 million.
Lottery fever has been driving the jackpot up drawing after drawing, with Tuesday night's prize being worth $893 million.
Mega Millions hasn't seen a grand prize winner since December 8, 2023, when two tickets shared a $394 million jackpot.
But even without a jackpot winner, four people woke up Wednesday as millionaires. Tickets sold in California, Florida, Texas and Virginia all had the five white ball numbers correct, meaning their owners can redeem them for $1 million each.
The cash value of Tuesday's jackpot was $421.4 million. Winners almost always take the cash option, but they do have a choice to instead get the full amount in regular payments over 29 years.
Last year was a big year for massive lottery jackpots, with two Mega Millions jackpots and one Powerball jackpot worth over $1 billion.
Tuesday's estimated $893 million prize is the sixth largest Mega Millions jackpot since the game began in 2002.
The odds of winning the jackpot are one in 302,575,350.
Mega Millions winning numbers for Tuesday, March 19, 2024
The winning numbers were 24-46-49-62-66 Mega Ball: 7 Megaplier: 2.
When is the Mega Millions drawing?
Mega Millions drawings take place on Tuesday and Friday at 11 p.m. Eastern Time.
What are the largest US lottery jackpots ever?
- $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 8, 2022 (one ticket, from California)
- $1.602 billion, Mega Millions, August 8, 2023 (one ticket, from Florida)
- $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016 (three tickets, from California, Florida, Tennessee)
- $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018 (one ticket, from South Carolina)
- $1.348 billion Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023 (one ticket, from Maine)
- $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022 (one ticket, from Illinois)
- $1.08 billion, Powerball, July 19, 2023 (one ticket, from California)
- $1.05 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 22, 2021 (one ticket, from Michigan)
- $977 million (estimated), Mega Millions, March 22, 2024
- $842.4 million, Powerball, Jan. 1, 2024 (one ticket, from Michigan)
The Associated Press contributed to this report.