A winning ticket was sold Tuesday night in New Jersey for an estimated $1.13 billion Mega Millions jackpot, officials said. It is the fifth largest in the history of the game.
The game had been going on for over three months Without a jackpot winner. Tuesday's winning numbers are 7, 11, 22, 29, 38 and a Mega Ball 4.
The estimated jackpot is the eighth largest in US lottery history and the fifth largest ever for Mega Millions. The largest Mega Millions jackpot ever, $1.602 billion, was won on August 8 last year. Sold in Florida. Largest prize in US lottery history$2.04 billion Powerball jackpot won in February 2023 in California.
Jackpot winners can receive a lump sum in cash or receive winnings in annual installments over 30 years. Only winners who take the annual option will receive the full jackpot. The total for Tuesday night's drawing was $537.5 million before taxes.
Mega Millions drawings are done on Tuesday and Friday nights, while Powerball holds its drawings on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday nights. Powerball is also missing a jackpot winner, with an $865 million jackpot as of Tuesday night.
Players must match five white balls and a yellow mega ball to take home the Mega Millions jackpot. Small prizes, up to $2, are available for matching some, but not all, of the drawn numbers. The odds of winning the Mega Millions prize are 1 in 24, but the odds of hitting the jackpot are only 1 in 302,575,350.
Mega Millions tickets are sold in 45 states, Washington, DC and the US Virgin Islands. A standard ticket costs $2, but bonuses can be added for additional fees to increase the payout for non-jackpot prizes.
The next Mega Millions drawing will feature a $20 million jackpot — the starting point of the jackpot series.
