Mega Millions Jackpot Into All-Time Top 10
Wednesday December 4th 2024The Mega Millions jackpot has soared to an estimated $579 million ahead of the next draw, making it the 10th-largest prize in the game’s history.
Nobody has matched all the numbers since a player from Texas won a staggering $800 million on September 10th. The winner came forward quickly and claimed the prize through the Sol Living Trust, so their identity remained private.
The jackpot has built steadily over the last two and a half months, and is now beginning to accelerate as excitement grows and more tickets are sold.
A $541 million jackpot was up for grabs on Tuesday, December 3, but it again proved to be out of reach. The winning numbers were all at the higher end of the range - 52, 60, 61, 66 and 67, with a Mega Ball of 23. Go to the Payouts page to see all the draw details, including the number of winners in each prize category.
It is now set to jump almost $40 million for Friday’s drawing, putting it inside the top 10 of all time. If the jackpot rolls for much longer, it will quickly climb the list and there could be another billion-dollar payout before Christmas.
Biggest Mega Millions Winners
The Mega Millions jackpot has crossed into 10 figures on six previous occasions. Top of the rankings is the $1.602 billion payout that went to a ticket holder from Florida in August 2023 - claimed through the Saltines Holding, LLC.
The other five jackpots of more than $1 billion have all been won by players from different states - South Carolina, Maine, Illinois, New Jersey and Michigan.
All of the top seven in the list of biggest wins have come since 2018 - even though Mega Millions started in 2002 - reflecting the way the game has evolved over time to help the jackpot get larger and larger.
Another major change is on the way in April 2025, which could lead to even more extraordinary wins. The odds of winning will actually improve, while the starting jackpot will increase, an automatic multiplier will replace the optional Megaplier, and the cost of entry will go from $2 to $5. All these updates are expected to push the average jackpot even higher.
Draws will continue every Tuesday and Friday night, and you can check the winning numbers as soon as they are available.
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