Winning Mega Millions numbers for Tuesday: $893 million jackpot, and 1 big winner from Florida
Mega Millions is on a hot streak! Another rollover (or two) could push the grand prize to a billion-dollar jackpot. And spoiler alert, there was a big winner who bought a ticket in Florida.
After no one matched all five numbers plus the Mega Ball in the Friday, March 15, drawing, the prize climbed to $875 million with a cash option of $413.5 million. But since then, the grand prize skyrocketed to $893 million just before the Tuesday, March 19, drawing with a cash option of $421.4 million.
Mega Millions tickets start at $2 apiece. Below are some frequently asked questions about the game and lottery odds. Good luck!
Mega Millions numbers for 3/19/24: 24-46-49-62-66 and the Mega Ball was 7
Mega Millions drawings are at 11 p.m. EST Tuesdays and Fridays. Tuesday, March 19, winning Mega Millions numbers were 24-46-49-62-66 and the Mega Ball was 7. Megaplier was 2x. Those numbers mean another rollover putting us on the brink of $1 billion.
Friday's Mega Millions drawing now climbs to $977 million, with a cash option of $461 million.
There were no jackpot winners, but there were four tickets that matched 5 for $1 million prizes in Tuesday's Mega Millions drawing. One of those was purchased in Florida. The other three tickets were bought in California, Texas and Virginia.
How long has Mega Millions rolled over?
Someone won the $395 million Mega Millions jackpot with a cash option of $189 million on Friday, Dec. 8, 2023. The jackpot started at $20 million for the Tuesday, Dec. 12, drawing. Here's a snapshot of how the prize has climbed since then.
Tuesday, March 19: $893 million
Friday, March 15: $815 million
Tuesday, March 12: $735 million
What is the largest lottery jackpot in U.S. history?
The largest lottery prize ever climbed to $2.04 billion in November 2022. The jackpot was an estimated $1.9 billion days before the drawing, but lottery ticket sales helped it grow to more than $2 billion after updated calculations. A single ticket purchased by Edwin Castro in California won the grand prize.
How long do you have to cash in a winning Florida Lottery ticket?
Prizes for Florida Lottery must be claimed within 180 days (six months) from the date of the drawing. To claim a single-payment cash option, a winner has within the first 60 days after the applicable draw date to claim it.
What are the odds of winning Mega Millions?
The odds of winning are pretty low. According to the Mega Millions site, players have a 1 in 302,575,350 chance to match all five white balls plus the gold Mega Ball. Prizes range from $2 (for matching the Mega Ball) to the grand prize jackpot, which varies.
Does the Florida Lottery reveal lottery winners? Can you stay anonymous if you win lottery in Florida?
According to Florida Lottery's website, winners cannot remain anonymous: "Florida law mandates that the Florida Lottery provide records containing information such as the winner's name, city of residence; game won, date won, and amount won to any third party who requests the information."
However, the site states, the "names of lottery winners claiming prizes of $250,000 or greater will be temporarily exempt from public disclosure for 90 days from the date the prize is claimed, unless otherwise waived by the winner."
Lottery experts and lawyers have said there are ways to remain anonymous if you win.
When did lottery jackpots hit $1 billion or more?
As of March 19, 2024, there have been nine lottery jackpots that have reached or surpassed $1 billion. Only once has a jackpot surpassed $2 billion.
9. $1.05 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 22, 2021: A single ticket won in Michigan.
8. $1.08 billion, Powerball, July 19, 2023: A single ticket won in California.
7. $1.337 billion, Mega Millions, July 29, 2022: A single ticket won in Illinois.
6. $1.35 billion, Mega Millions, Jan. 13, 2023: A single ticket was purchased in Maine.
5. $1.537 billion, Mega Millions, Oct. 23, 2018: A single ticket won in South Carolina.
4. $1.58 billion, Mega Millions, Aug. 8, 2023: A single ticket won in Neptune Beach, Florida
3. $1.586 billion, Powerball, Jan. 13, 2016: Three tickets won from California, Florida, Tennessee.
2. $1.73 billion Powerball, Oct. 11, 2023: A single ticket won in California.
1. $2.04 billion, Powerball, Nov. 7, 2022: A single ticket won in California.
What are the Top 10 largest Mega Millions jackpots ever?
According to its website, here are the Top 10 Mega Millions jackpots as of March 19, 2024:
10. $543 million — July 24, 2018; California
9. $648 million — Dec. 17, 2013; California and Georgia
8. $656 million — March 30, 2012; Illinois, Kansas and Maryland
7. $893 million — March 19, 2024? No winner yet
6. $1.05 billion — Jan. 22, 2021; Michigan
5. $1.08 billion — July 19, 2023; California
4. $1.337 billion — July 29, 2022; Illinois
3. $1.35 billion — Jan. 13, 2023; Maine
2. $1.537 billion — Oct. 23, 2018; South Carolina
What are the Top 10 largest lottery jackpots ever?
The following Mega Millions and Powerball jackpots made the Top 10 biggest lottery jackpots in U.S. history, as of March 19, 2024.
10. $893 million Mega Millions drawing — March 19, 2024? TBD
9. $1.05 billion Mega Millions drawing — Jan. 22, 2021; Michigan
8. $1.08 billion Powerball drawing — July 19, 2023; California
7. $1.337 billion Mega Millions drawing — July 29, 2022; Illinois
6. $1.35 billion Mega Millions drawing — Jan. 13, 2023; Maine
5. $1.537 billion Mega Millions drawing — Oct. 23, 2018; South Carolina
4. $1.58 billion Mega Millions drawing — Aug. 8, 2023; Florida
3. $1.586 billion Powerball drawing — Jan. 13, 2016; California, Florida and Tennessee
2. $1.73 billion Powerball drawing — Oct. 11, 2023; California
1. $2.04 billion Powerball drawing — Nov. 7, 2022; California
Sangalang is a lead digital producer for USA TODAY Network-Florida. Follow her on Twitter or Instagram at @byjensangalang. Support local journalism. Consider subscribing to a Florida newspaper.
This article originally appeared on Florida Today: Anyone win Mega Millions lottery drawing for Tuesday, March 19, 2024?
