Mega Millions winning numbers: Drawing leaves jackpot at $1.6 billion, largest ever
Andrew SharpThe Mega Millions jackpot is getting enormous enough that it would provide a great boost for someone looking for the cash to start up a hotel chain or an airline (or maybe a small nation). After nobody won the drawing for Friday night's jackpot, the money from all those enthusiastic ticket buyers hoping for a big payout will be rolled to the next drawing for a staggering $1.6 billion.
While nobody took the top prize, 15 tickets won at least $1 million, and one matched the Megaplier for a $2 million prize, Mega Millions said in a press release.
The winning numbers Friday were 15-23-53-65-70, Mega Ball 7, Megaplier 2X.
The record lottery prize had previously been a $1.586 billion Powerball in 2016. That was shared by winners in three states, Mega Millions noted.
The previous record Mega Millions record, $656 million, was also shared by winners in three states in 2012, the lottery said.
According to Mega Millions, the new jackpot is not only the largest in U.S. history but a world record. That's true in a sense. Business Insider notes that the traditional Spanish Christmas lottery El Gordo, held since 1812, routinely hits the billions, and in 2012, there was a $3.3 billion prize. However, there isn't a big jackpot prize with one winner, as the pot can be divided among thousands of tickets, the article said. The grand prize is worth about $4 million before taxes, USA Today reported in 2016.
Here's where the winning million-dollar Mega Millions tickets were sold on Friday:
- California
- Florida
- Illinois (2)
- Missouri
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New York (4)
- Texas (2, including Megaplier match for $2 million)
- Virginia (2)
The next drawing is Tuesday at 11 p.m. The cutoff for buying tickets varies by location. In Delaware, you can buy them until 9:45 on the night of the drawing.
The huge Mega Millions prize almost makes the Powerball jackpot seem small by comparison, but it's a respectable $470 million (cash value $286 million). The drawing is Saturday at 10:59 p.m.
Combined, the two jackpots are at about $2.07 billion.
The odds of winning are slim. For the Mega Millions, they're 1 in 302,575,350. For Powerball, the odds are 1 in 292,201,338.
Delaware lottery ticket spending ranks No. 5
$2 million in Delaware Lottery prizes goes unclaimed every year