The Mega Millions jackpot is creeping towards the $1 billion mark. If no one wins the nextdrawing on Friday, the jackpot will exceed $1 billion, making it one of the largest jackpots in the game's history.
Only five previous jackpots have passed this threshold,according to Mega Millions.
The current jackpot sits at an estimated $977 million after no one won Tuesday's drawing, still the sixth-largest prize in the game's history. The cash option is $461 million, according to the lottery.
The largest jackpot ever won in the Mega Millions lottery was in August 2023, when a single ticket won the$1.602 billion prize out of Neptune Beach, Florida.
Map shows where lottery-winning tickets have been sold
New York state is home to the most Mega Millions jackpot winners, with 42 winning tickets sold in the Empire State. California follows with 36 winning tickets sold in-state.
The more populated states correlate to selling more Mega Millions jackpot-winning tickets.
New Jersey, Ohio, Michigan, Georgia, Illinois, Texas, and Maryland are the only states that have had more than 10 winning tickets sold.
Eighteen states and the Virgin Islands have yet to sell a Mega Millions jackpot winning ticket.
Pennsylvania has sold 18 winning tickets for the Powerball jackpot – the most of any state. Florida follows with 16 winning tickets sold in the sunshine state.
California, New York, Indiana, New Jersey, Missouri, and Louisiana have all sold over 10 Powerball jackpot-winning tickets.
Five states/jurisdictions that participate in Powerball have yet to sell a winning ticket: Maine, Mississippi, North Dakota, the Virgin Islands, and Washington.
Picking the winning numbers:Which Mega Millions numbers haven't won in months?
Graphics:These are commonly picked lottery numbers
Where can you buy lottery tickets?
Tickets can be purchased in-person at gas stations, convenience stores and grocery stores. Some airport terminals may also sell lottery tickets.
You can also order tickets online throughJackpocket, the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network, in these U.S. states: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Idaho, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Washington D.C. and West Virginia. The Jackpocket app allows you to pick your lottery game and numbers, place your order, see your ticket and collect your winnings all using your phone or home computer.
Jackpocket is the official digital lottery courier of the USA TODAY Network. Gannett may earn revenue for audience referrals to Jackpocket services. Must be 18+, 21+ in AZ and 19+ in NE. Not affiliated with any State Lottery. Gambling Problem? Call 1-877-8-HOPE-NY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY); 1-800-327-5050 (MA); 1-877-MYLIMIT (OR); 1-800-GAMBLER (all others). Visitjackpocket.com/tosfor full terms and conditions.
FAQs
New York has sold the most Mega Millions jackpot-winning tickets, followed by California. Only seven other states have had more than 10 jackpot winners: New Jersey, Ohio, Michigan, Georgia, Illinois, Texas, and Maryland.
What states have the most Mega Millions winners? ›
New York state is home to the most Mega Millions jackpot winners, with 42 winning tickets sold in the Empire State. California follows with 36 winning tickets sold in-state. The more populated states correlate to selling more Mega Millions jackpot-winning tickets.
Which state has won the most Powerball jackpots? ›
We compiled a list of states with the MOST Powerball jackpot winners in the history of the game. The luckiest of the lucky? Indiana has the most Powerball jackpot winners. The Hoosier State boasts 39 Powerball jackpot wins since 1992, when Powerball got its start.
What state sells the most winning Powerball tickets? ›
Pennsylvania has sold the most Powerball jackpot-winning tickets, followed by Florida. California, New York, and Indiana are among states that have all sold over 10 Powerball jackpot-winning tickets.
What state has never won Powerball jackpot? ›
The states that have not yet had a winner are Maine, Mississippi, North Dakota, and Wyoming.
What states are most likely to win Mega Millions? ›
New York, the state with the most wins, has been participating in the Mega Millions lottery since 2002. The good news is that no matter which state or town you live in, your ticket has an equal chance of winning. The Mega Millions odds don't change, no matter where you play.
Which state has best odds of winning Powerball? ›
land, these are the luckiest states in the U.S. for winning the Powerball grand prize:
- No. 8: Kansas.
- No. 7: West Virginia.
- No. 6: Missouri.
- No. 5: Nebraska.
- No. 4: Indiana.
- No. 3: Rhode Island.
- No. 2: New Hampshire.
- No. 1: Delaware.
Game data dating back to 2002 shows 18 states and the Virgin Islands have yet to sell a jackpot-winning Mega Millions ticket: Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming, as well ...
Which state has the richest lottery? ›
Sales of lotteries in the United States in 2023 (in million U.S. dollars), by state
| Characteristic | Sales in million U.S. dollars |
|---|
| New York | 10,544.77 |
| Florida | 9,801.78 |
| California | 9,239.35 |
| Texas | 8,725.65 |
9 more rowsApr 30, 2024
The gaming experts at Hearts Land say that the reason for this high average comes down to the attitude a state has towards Powerball. Powerball claims that the odds of winning are 1 in 292.2 million but with the number of players rising based on interest, it increases the number of tickets bought in a state.
The largest Powerball jackpot in US history was won by Edwin Castro in Southern California, totaling $2.04 billion. The ticket was sold in Nov. 2022 at Joe's Service Center in an unincorporated community near Los Angeles. Here is a list of the largest jackpots won in the US and the state where the tickets were sold.
Which state lotteries have the best odds? ›
Looking for the best odds in a lottery game? Try your luck at these.
- Arizona*
- Arkansas*
- Colorado*
- Florida.
- Massachusetts*
- New Jersey*
- New York*
- Ohio*
The 8 best states to win Powerball's $760 million jackpot—the sixth-largest Powerball prize of all time
- California.
- Florida.
- New Hampshire.
- South Dakota.
- Tennessee.
- Texas.
- Washington.
- Wyoming.
There are eight states that do not tax Powerball winnings: California, Florida, New Hampshire, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, Wyoming. Pennsylvania, North Dakota, Indiana and Ohio also make our list of best states.
What states are least likely to win the lottery? ›
5 Worst States to Win Powerball or Mega Millions
- #5 Minnesota. With an income tax rate of 7.25% on lottery prizes, the Land of 10,000 Lakes will take quite a big chunk from your winnings. ...
- #4 Maryland. ...
- #3 Oregon. ...
- #2 New Jersey. ...
- #1 New York. ...
- #5 Colorado. ...
- #4 Indiana. ...
- #3 Pennsylvania.
But five — Alabama, Alaska, Hawaii, Nevada and Utah — have passed on the opportunity or vetoed proposals to participate in statewide or multi-state lottery programs. That doesn't stop people from playing, of course.
Where was the largest Mega Millions won? ›
The largest Mega Millions jackpot on record occurred in August 2023 when one ticket was sold in Florida for a $1.602 billion jackpot. Because of the high jackpot, the Nebraska Lottery encourages customers to set limits and play within their means.
Which states have the biggest lotteries? ›
Kerala is the big player. In 2022-23, Kerala's lottery revenues were more than Rs 11,890 cr, a big jump of 66.7% over compared to 2021-22, and as much as 78.7% of the state's total non-tax revenue.
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