The Mega Millions jackpot continues to grow after no tickets matched the winning numbers in Friday's drawing. The prize has climbed to an estimated $800 million with a cash option of $401.8 million for Tuesday's drawing. It is the seventh-highest jackpot in the game's history, only surpassed by the six jackpots that have exceeded $1 billion.

The winning numbers in Friday’s drawing were 6, 23, 41, 59, 63 and Mega Ball was 25.

The last winning jackpot ticket was sold on June 4 in Illinois and totaled $552 million. Since then, 27 drawings have taken place, but no jackpot winner has emerged. Despite this, there have been numerous other winning tickets sold during this period. In the 27 drawings since then, 20.7 million winning tickets have been sold, including 57 second-tier prizes of $1 million or more. Six $1 million tickets were won in Friday’s drawing and one ticket sold in Ohio is worth $2 million after the player chose the optional Megaplier.

Forty-nine other winners in Friday’s drawing matched a third-tier prize of $10,000 and 10 of those tickets chose the Megaplier, doubling their winnings. Over 1.6 million winning tickets were sold in Friday’s drawing, according to a press release from the lottery.

Mega Millions Jackpot: A History of Big Wins

The Mega Millions jackpot has been growing steadily in recent years, with several jackpots exceeding $1 billion. The largest prize of $1.602 billion was won in Florida on Aug. 8, 2023. In March of this year, a $1.1 billion winning ticket was purchased in New Jersey and remains unclaimed to this day. Winners in New Jersey have one year to claim their winnings.

The Odds of Winning the Mega Millions Jackpot

The odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350. These odds make winning the grand prize extremely improbable, but the excitement and potential reward of a life-changing sum of money continue to drive millions of people to play each week.

How to Play the Mega Millions Lottery

To play Mega Millions, you need to select five numbers from 1 to 70 and one Mega Ball number from 1 to 25. Tickets are sold in 45 states, Washington, D.C., and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Drawings are conducted at 11 p.m. on Tuesdays and Fridays in Atlanta, Georgia. Tickets cost $2 each and half of the proceeds from the sale of each Mega Millions ticket remains in the state where the ticket was sold. You can purchase tickets at licensed lottery retailers in participating states.

What Happens If You Win the Mega Millions Jackpot?

If you are lucky enough to win the Mega Millions jackpot, you have a choice to make. You can choose to receive the full jackpot amount in annual payments over 29 years, or you can choose to receive a lump-sum payment, which is typically a smaller amount than the advertised jackpot. The lump-sum payment is usually about 60% of the advertised jackpot amount. This option is more appealing to many winners, as it provides them with immediate access to a large sum of money that they can use to invest, pay off debts, or pursue their dreams.

Conclusion: The Allure of the Big Win

The allure of a massive Mega Millions jackpot continues to captivate people around the country. Whether you’re a regular lottery player or a first-time buyer, the chance to win millions of dollars is a tempting prospect. The Mega Millions jackpot is a testament to the enduring power of dreams and the hope that even the most improbable of events can come true.