Mega Millions is climbing. What you need to know: from when next drawing is, to how to play

Chris Sims, Journal Star
·4 min read
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The Mega Millions jackpot is over half a million dollars and there is quite a buzz surrounding the potential for a Christmas win.

Not sure how to get in the mix for the big prize?

We've got you covered with everything from how to play to when the next drawing will be held.

Here's what you need to know about the Mega Millions:

How much is the Mega Millions lottery jackpot?

The current Mega Millions jackpot stands at $510 million, with a cash option of $266.8 million. The jackpot is currently the second highest in Mega Millions history and third largest in U.S. lottery history

Mega Millions numbers:Winning Mega Millions numbers for Tuesday, Dec. 20, 2022. No winner, jackpot climbs to $510M

Mega Millions numbers and results

Nobody matched all six numbers for the Tuesday, Dec. 20 drawing. The winning numbers for Tuesday night's drawing were 3, 4, 33, 36, 52, and the Mega Ball was 17. The Megaplier was 4X.

Four tickets matched all five numbers except for the Mega Ball worth $1 million. They were sold in Arizona, Kentucky, Louisiana and Texas.

When is the Mega Millions drawing?

Mega Millions drawings are at 10 p.m. CT and are held at WSB-TV in Atlanta. Videos of the latest Mega Millions drawing can be found at the Mega Millions YouTube channel.

When is the next Mega Millions drawing?

The next drawing is Friday, Dec. 23. Mega Millions draws occur twice a week, on every Tuesday and Friday.

Where to buy Mega Millions tickets

You can play Mega Millions in 45 states, as well as the District of Columbia and the U.S. Virgin Islands. To find locations, search the Mega Millions website.

In Illinois, you can even play Mega Millions by buying your tickets online.

When is the cutoff time to buy Mega Millions tickets?

Illinois residents can purchase Mega Millions tickets up to 9:45 p.m. CT. Each state's cutoff time varies. Check with your local lottery office for details.

How much a Mega Millions ticket costs

Two dollars will get you in the game for Mega Millions. For an additional $1, lottery hopefuls can add the Megaplier which can multiply your non-jackpot winnings up to five times.

How to play Mega Millions

The Hoosier Lottery offers an instructional video on how to play Mega Millions:

How much do you get for 2 numbers on Mega Millions?

Two numbers will not win you anything in Mega Millions, unless one of the numbers is the Mega Ball.

How many numbers do I need to win money on Mega Millions?

Technically, Mega Millions players only need to match one number to win money in the game. However, that number has to be the Mega Ball, which is worth $2. Click "How to Play" on the Mega Millions website for more details on payout information.

Odds of winning Mega Millions

There is a 1 in 24 chance of winning any Mega Millions prize. Chances for hitting the jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350.

Powerball numbers:Results for Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2022. No winner, jackpot rises to $186M

Mega Millions' last jackpot winner

Here is the list of 2022 Mega Millions jackpot wins, according to megamillions.com:

  • $426 million — Jan. 28; California.

  • $128 million — Mar. 8; New York.

  • $110 million — April 12; Minnesota.

  • $20 million — April 15; Tennessee.

  • $1.337 billion — July 29; Illinois.

  • $502 million — Oct. 14; California, Florida.

Top 10 Mega Millions lottery jackpots

Here are the all-time top 10 Mega Millions jackpots, according to megamillions.com:

  1. $1.537 billion — Oct. 23, 2018; South Carolina.

  2. $1.337 billion — July 29, 2022; Illinois.

  3. $1.05 billion — Jan. 22, 2021; Michigan

  4. $656 million — Mar. 30, 2012; Kansas, Illinois, Maryland.

  5. $648 million — Dec. 17, 2013; California, Georgia.

  6. $543 million — July 24, 2018; California.

  7. $536 million — July 8, 2016; Indiana.

  8. $533 million — Mar. 30, 2018; New Jersey.

  9. $522 million — June 7, 2019; California.

  10. $516 million — May 21, 2021; Pennsylvania.

Top 10 U.S. lottery jackpots

Here are the nation's all-time top 10 Powerball and Mega Millions jackpots, according to powerball.com:

  1. $2.04 billion, Powerball — Nov. 7, 2022; California.

  2. $1.586 billion, Powerball — Jan. 13, 2016; California, Florida, Tennessee.

  3. $1.537 billion, Mega Millions — Oct. 23, 2018; South Carolina.

  4. $1.337 billion, Mega Millions — July 29, 2022; Illinois.

  5. $1.05 billion, Mega Millions — Jan. 22, 2021; Michigan

  6. $768.4 million, Powerball — Mar. 27, 2019; Wisconsin.

  7. $758.7 million, Powerball — Aug. 23, 2017; Massachusetts.

  8. $731.1 million, Powerball — Jan. 20, 2021; Maryland.

  9. $699.8 million, Powerball — Oct. 4, 2021; California.

  10. $687.8 million, Powerball — Oct. 27, 2018; Iowa, New York.

Chris Sims is a digital producer at Midwest DOT. Follow him on Twitter: @ChrisFSims.

This article originally appeared on Journal Star: Mega Millions: What to know from when is next drawing to how to play